Apparatus for and method of embedding and extracting digital information and medium having program for carrying out the method recorded thereon

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for embedding information in a signal includes a band dividing device, a block divider, a quantization portion, a signal replacement portion, a mean difference addition portion, a mean calculation portion, and a band synthesis portion. The band dividing device divides the signal into transform coefficients over a plurality of frequency bands. The block divider divides one frequency band into a plurality of blocks in accordance with a previously determined block size. The quantization portion calculates for each block, a mean value M of the transform coefficients in the block, and subjects the mean value M to linear quantization, using a previously determined quantization step-size Q to calculate a quantization value. The signal replacement portion replaces the quantization value for each block, on the basis of the quantization value and the value of the information to be embedded. The mean difference addition portion subjects the replaced quantization value, for each block, to inverse linear quantization using the quantization step-size Q to calculate a mean value M′, and adds a difference DM between the mean value M′ and the mean value M to all the transform coefficients in the block. The mean calculation portion calculates a mean value LM of the transform coefficients in the frequency band after the addition of the difference DM. The band synthesis portion reconstructs a signal in which the information has been embedded using the frequency band after the addition of the difference DM and the other frequency bands.

This is a Divisional Application of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/186,375, filed Nov. 5, 1998, U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,276, the entiredisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for, and amethod of, embedding and extracting digital information, as well as amedium having a program for carrying out the method recorded thereon.More particularly, the present invention generally relates to anapparatus for, and a method of, embedding, in order to protect thecopyright of digital data, digital data such as copyright information(hereinafter referred to as digital information) in an image signal, andextracting the embedded digital information, as well as a medium havinga program for carrying out the method recorded thereon.

2. Description of the Background Art

In recent years, information utilizing the Internet has been extensivelyprovided. Particularly, WWW (World Wide Web) has been frequentlyutilized as an information transmitting and receiving service in whichimages, voices, and so forth are integrated.

However, digital information, such as an image which is open to thepublic on a network of the Internet, can be easily copied by many andunspecified users. Therefore, some problems have arisen. For example, animage whose copyright is owned by a third person is secondarily utilizedby making unauthorized copying thereof without the permission of thecopyright owner. Further, also in expanding the business on the Internetusing image-based contents, measures to prevent the unauthorized copyinghave been a problem. Therefore, the establishment of a technique forprotecting the copyright of an image signal has been demanded.

An example of the measures conventionally known is an electronicwatermark technique. The digital watermarking is a technique forembedding digital information in image data in a form that cannot beperceived by a human being.

Examples of the conventional electronic watermark technique include anelectronic watermark technique using discrete wavelet transformdescribed in an article entitled “Embedding a Signature to Picture underWavelet Transformation” by Matsui, Onishi, Nakamura et al. (Journal ofThe Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication EngineersD-II VOL. J79-D-II, No. 6, pp. 1017 to 1024, June 1996) (hereinafterreferred to as a technique by Matsui et al.).

The technique by Matsui et al. will be described with reference to FIGS.33 to 35.

Description is now made of band division by discrete wavelet transformprocessing.

FIG. 33 is a block diagram showing an example of the structure of aconventional band dividing device 11 for division into threehierarchies. In FIG. 33, the conventional band dividing device 11comprises first to third band dividing filters 100, 200 and 300 havingthe same structure. Each of the first to third band dividing filters100, 200 and 300 divides a received image into four frequency bands, andcalculates wavelet transform coefficients (hereinafter merely referredto as transform coefficients) for each of the frequency bands.

It is also possible to obtain transform coefficients even by sub-banddivision which is equivalent to the band division by discrete wavelettransform, which is not described herein.

The band dividing device II inputs a digitized image signal 71 into thefirst band dividing filter 100. The first band dividing filter 100divides the image signal 71 into signals in four bands, i.e., an LL1signal, an LH1 signal, an HL1 signal and an HH1 signal (hereinaftergenerically referred to as a first hierarchical signal) on the basis ofparameters of its horizontal and vertical frequency components. Thesecond band dividing filter 200 receives the LL1 signal in the lowestband in the first hierarchical signal, and further divides the LL1signal into an LL2 signal, an LH2 signal, an HL2 signal and an HH2signal in four bands (hereinafter generically referred to as a secondhierarchical signal). The third band dividing filter 300 receives theLL2 signal in the lowest band in the second hierarchical signal, andfurther divides the LL2 signal into an LL3 signal, an LH3 signal, an HL3signal and an HH3 signal in four bands (hereinafter generically referredto as a third hierarchical signal).

FIG. 34 is a block diagram showing an example of the structure of thefirst band dividing filter 100. In FIG. 34, the first band dividingfilter 100 comprises first to third two-band division portions 101 to103. The first to third two-band division portions 101 to 103respectively comprise one-dimensional low-pass filters (LPF) 111 to 113,one-dimensional high-pass filters (HPF) 121 to 123, and sub-samplers 131to 133 and 141 to 143 for thinning a signal at a ratio of 2:1.

The first two-band division portion 101 receives the image signal 71,and subjects the signal to low-pass filtering and high-pass filteringwith respect to its horizontal component by the LPF 111 and the HPF 121,respectively, to output two signals. The signals obtained by thelow-pass filtering and the high-pass filtering are respectively thinnedat a ratio of 2:1 using the sub-samplers 131 and 141, and are thenoutputted to the subsequent stage. The second two-band division portion102 receives the signal from the sub-sampler 131, and filters the signalwith respect to its vertical component by the LPF 112 and the HPF 122,respectively, thins the signal at a ratio of 2:1 using the sub-samplers132 and 142, and then outputs two signals, i.e., an LL signal and an LHsignal. On the other hand, the third two-band division portion 103receives the signal from the sub-sampler 141, and respectively filtersthe signal with respect to its vertical component by the LPF 113 and theHPF 123, thins the signal at a ratio of 2:1 using the sub-samplers 133and 143, and then outputs two signals, i.e., an HL signal and an HHsignal.

Consequently, four signals, i.e., the LL1 signal which is low in bothits horizontal and vertical components, the LH1 signal which is low inits horizontal component and is high in its vertical component, the HL1signal which is high in its horizontal component and is low in itsvertical component, and the HL1 signal which is high in both itshorizontal and vertical components, that is, transform coefficients areoutputted from the first band-dividing filter 100.

The second and third band dividing filters 200 and 300 also respectivelysubject received signals to the same processing as described above.

As a result of the band division processing by the first to third banddividing filters 100, 200 and 300, the image signal 71 is divided into10 band signals, i.e., an LL3 signal, an LH3 signal, an HL3 signal, anHH3 signal, an LH2 signal, an HL2 signal, an HH2 signal, an LH1 signal,an HL1 signal and an HH1 signal. FIG. 35 is a diagram showingrepresentation of the signals by a two-dimensional frequency region.

In FIG. 35, the vertical axis represents a vertical frequency component,which increases as it is directed downward, and the horizontal axisrepresents a horizontal frequency component, which increases as it isdirected rightward. Each of regions in FIG. 35 is data serving as oneimage, and the area ratio of the regions coincides with the ratio of therespective numbers of data in the band signals. That is, in a case wherethe number of data in the LL3 signal, the LH3 signal, the HL3 signal andthe HH3 signal which are the third hierarchical signal is taken as one,the number of data in the LH2 signal, the HL2 signal and the HH2 signalwhich are the second hierarchical signal is four, and the number of datain the LH1 signal, the HL1 signal and the HH1 signal which are the firsthierarchical signal is 16. Consequently, with respect to one data at theupper left of the LL3 signal, for example, one data at the upper left ofeach of the LH3 signal, the HL3 signal and the HH3 signal, four data,which are square, at the upper left of each of the LH2 signal, the HL2signal and the HH2 signal, 16 data, which are square, at the upper leftof each of the LH1 signal, the HL1 signal and the HH1 signal representthe same pixel on an original image (portions painted in black in FIG.35).

Description is now made of a method of embedding digital informationafter the above-mentioned band division by discrete wavelet transform.The embedding method itself described below is a technique well-known bythose skilled in the art. Matsui et al. realize digital watermarking bycombining the discrete wavelet transform and the conventional embeddingmethod.

The conventional embedding method utilizes visual characteristics of ahuman being who easily overlooks noise in a high frequency region andeasily detects noise in a low frequency region. That is, in an imagesignal, energy is concentrated in its low frequency component.Therefore, in output components in the discrete wavelet transform, an LLsignal representing a low frequency component of the image signal is animportant band component. On the other hand, three types of signals,i.e., an LH signal, an HL signal and an HH signal representing highfrequency components, shown in multi-resolution representation (MRR), ofthe image signal are not so important band components.

With respect to each of the MRR components, i.e., the LH signal, the HLsignal and the HH signal, which are not so important, the logical valueof the low-order bit (least-significant bit (LSB) if possible) of awavelet transform coefficient, which is not zero out of wavelettransform coefficients in the MRR component, is transformed inaccordance with the value of a bit, in digital information, to beembedded on the basis of previously determined regularity, to performdigital watermarking.

In the technique by Matsui et al., the digital information is embeddedin only the MRR components which are high frequency components of animage calculated by the discrete wavelet transform and the low-orderbits thereof which hardly affect the change in the image. Therefore, thedegradation of the quality of an image reconstructed by the signal inwhich the digital information has been embedded is so slight as not tobe perceived with the eyes of a human being.

In the case of display and distribution, for example, on a network, thesignals in the respective frequency bands which have been subjected tothe above-mentioned embedding processing are synthesized by a bandsynthesizing device (in short, performing processing reverse to thediscrete wavelet transform), to reconstruct an image signal. Further, inorder to extract the embedded digital information from the reconstructedimage signal, the discrete wavelet transform is performed to extract thelogical values transformed in the embedding processing.

In the above-mentioned technique by Matsui et al., however, the digitalinformation is embedded in the MRR components which are high frequencycomponents of the image, the following problems remain.

(1) By frequency-transforming the image in which the digital informationhas been embedded, and then rewriting and cutting the high frequencycomponents of the image, the embedded digital information can be removedrelatively simply.

(2) Even by subjecting the image in which the digital information hasbeen embedded to low-pass filtering, the high frequency components ofthe image are reduced, so that the embedded digital information is lost.

(3) Furthermore, in image communication, for example, the image istransmitted upon being compressed. In the case, the high frequencycomponents of the transform coefficients of the image are generallycoarsely quantized to perform irreversible compression, so that theeffect on the high frequency components of the image is increased. Thatis, the respective lower-order bits of the transform coefficients in theMRR components of the image are significantly changed, so that theembedded digital information cannot be correctly extracted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatusfor, and a method of, embedding and extracting digital information, inwhich it is possible to reliably extract, by embedding digitalinformation in not only transform coefficients having high frequencycomponents of an image, but also transform coefficients having lowfrequency components, which degrade the quality of the image at the timeof extracting the embedded digital information and further embedding thedigital information only in transform coefficients having not the highfrequency components but the low frequency components, the embeddeddigital information, without losing the information against theabove-mentioned attack from an unauthorized user, and the quality of theimage is hardly degraded at the time of extracting the embedded digitalinformation, and a medium having a program for carrying out the methodrecorded thereon.

In order to attain the above-mentioned object, the present invention hasthe following features.

A first aspect is directed to a digital information embedding apparatusfor embedding inherent digital information in a digital image signal,comprising a band division means for dividing the digital image signalinto transform coefficients over a plurality of frequency bands usingeither discrete wavelet transform or sub-band division, a block divisionmeans for dividing the lowest frequency band out of the plurality offrequency bands obtained by the division into a plurality of blocks inaccordance with a previously determined block size, a quantization meansfor calculating for each of the blocks a mean value M of the transformcoefficients in the block, and subjecting the mean value M to linearquantization using a previously determined quantization step-size Q (Qis an integer of not less than one), to calculate a quantization value,a signal replacement means for replacing for each of the blocks, on thebasis of the quantization value and the value of the digital informationto be embedded which correspond to the block, the quantization value, amean difference addition means for subjecting for each of the blocks thereplaced quantization value to inverse linear quantization using thequantization step-size Q to calculate a mean value M′, and adding adifference DM (=M′−M) between the mean value M′ and the mean value M toall the transform coefficients in the block, a mean calculation meansfor calculating a mean value LM of the transform coefficients in thelowest frequency band after the addition of the difference DM, and aband synthesis means for reconstructing a digital image signal in whichthe digital information has been embedded using the lowest frequencyband after the addition of the difference DM and the other frequencybands.

As described in the foregoing, according to the first aspect, thedigital information is embedded in the transform coefficients in thelowest frequency band using either the discrete wavelet transform, orthe sub-band division. Consequently, it is possible to prevent theembedded digital information from being lost against an attack forunauthorized utilization from a third person.

A second aspect is directed to a digital information embedding apparatusfor embedding inherent digital information in a digital image signal,comprising an orthogonal transform means for dividing the digital imagesignal into a plurality of blocks each composed of a plurality of pixelspreviously determined, and subjecting, for each of the blocks, the blockto orthogonal transform, to calculate transform coefficients, a blockselection means for further classifying the plurality of blocks obtainedby the division into groups each comprising one or two or more blocks inaccordance with a previously determined number of blocks, a quantizationmeans for extracting, for each of the blocks belonging to each of thegroups, the transform coefficient having the lowest frequency component(hereinafter referred to as a DC component) out of the transformcoefficients in the block and calculating a mean value M of therespective DC components in the blocks, and subjecting the mean value Mto linear quantization using a previously determined quantizationstep-size Q (Q is an integer of not less than one), to calculate aquantization value, a signal replacement means for replacing for each ofthe groups, on the basis of the quantization value and the value of thedigital information to be embedded which correspond to the group, thequantization value, a mean difference addition means for subjecting foreach of the groups the replaced quantization value to inverse linearquantization using the quantization step-size Q to calculate a meanvalue M′, and adding a difference DM (=M′−M) between the mean value M′and the mean value M to all the DC components in the blocks belonging tothe group, an inverse orthogonal transform means for subjecting theplurality of blocks after the addition of the difference DM to inverseorthogonal transform, to reconstruct a digital image signal in which thedigital information has been embedded, and a mean calculation means forcalculating a mean value LM of the amplitude values of the pixels in thereconstructed digital image signal.

As described in the foregoing, according to the second aspect, thedigital information is embedded only in the lowest frequency componentusing the orthogonal transform. Consequently, it is possible to preventthe embedded digital information from being lost against an attack forunauthorized utilization from a third person.

A third aspect is characterized in that in the second aspect, theorthogonal transform means performs signal transformation which is anyone of discrete cosine transform, Fourier transform and Hadamardtransform.

As described in the foregoing, according to the third aspect, thetypical system of the signal transformation performed by the orthogonaltransform means in the second aspect is specified.

A fourth aspect is directed to a digital information embedding apparatusfor embedding inherent digital information in a digital image signal,comprising a block selection means for dividing the digital image signalinto a plurality of blocks each composed of a plurality of pixelspreviously determined, a quantization means for calculating for each ofthe blocks a mean value M of the pixels composing the block, andsubjecting the mean value M to linear quantization using a previouslydetermined quantization step-size Q (Q is an integer of not less thanone), to calculate a quantization value, a signal replacement means forreplacing for each of the blocks, on the basis of the quantization valueand the value of the digital information to be embedded which correspondto the block, the quantization value, a mean difference addition meansfor subjecting for each of the blocks the replaced quantization value toinverse linear quantization using the quantization step-size Q tocalculate a mean value M′, and adding a difference DM (=M′−M) betweenthe mean value M′ and the mean value M to all the pixels composing theblock, and a mean calculation means for calculating a mean value LM ofthe amplitude values of the pixels in the digital image signal after theaddition of the difference DM.

As described in the foregoing, according to the fourth aspect, thedigital information is embedded in the mean value of the pixelscomposing the block, that is, the lowest frequency component.Consequently, it is possible to prevent the embedded digital informationfrom being lost against an attack for unauthorized utilization from athird person.

A fifth aspect is characterized in that the signal replacement means ofthe first aspect replaces the quantization value with an odd valueclosest to the value of (M/Q) when each of bits composing the digitalinformation takes a logical value 1, while replacing the quantizationvalue with an even value closest to the value of (M/Q) when the bittakes a logical value 0.

A sixth aspect is characterized in that in the second aspect, the signalreplacement means replaces the quantization value with an odd valueclosest to the value of (M/Q) when each of bits composing the digitalinformation takes a logical value 1, while replacing the quantizationvalue with an even value closest to the value of (M/Q) when the bittakes a logical value 0.

A seventh aspect is characterized in that in the third aspect, thesignal replacement means replaces the quantization value with an oddvalue closest to the value of (M/Q) when each of bits composing thedigital information takes a logical value 1, while replacing thequantization value with an even value closest to the value of (M/Q) whenthe bit takes a logical value 0.

An eighth aspect is characterized in that in the fourth aspect, thesignal replacement means replaces the quantization value with an oddvalue closest to the value of (M/Q) when each of bits composing thedigital information takes a logical value 1, while replacing thequantization value with an even value closest to the value of (M/Q) whenthe bit takes a logical value 0.

As described in the foregoing, according to the fifth to eighth aspects,the quantization value is replaced with the odd or even value closest tothe value of (M/Q) on the basis of the logical value of each of the bitscomposing the digital information in the first to fourth aspects.Consequently, it is possible to reduce the degradation of the image atthe time of extracting the embedded digital information, and it isdifficult for a third person to detect the embedded digital information.

A ninth aspect is directed to a digital information extracting apparatusfor extracting inherent digital information embedded by a particularapparatus in transform coefficients in the lowest frequency bandobtained by dividing a digital image signal using either discretewavelet transform or sub-band division, wherein the digital image signaloutputted by the particular apparatus and a quantization step-size areinputted, comprising a band division means for dividing the digitalimage signal into transform coefficients over a plurality of frequencybands using either discrete wavelet transform or sub-band division, ablock division means for dividing the lowest frequency band out of theplurality of frequency bands obtained by the division into a pluralityof blocks in accordance with a previously determined block size, aquantization means for calculating for each of the blocks a mean value Mof the transform coefficients in the block, and subjecting the meanvalue M to linear quantization using the previously determinedquantization step-size Q, to calculate a quantization value, and adigital information judgment means for judging whether the quantizationvalue is even or odd, to extract the embedded digital information on thebasis of the results of the judgment.

As described in the foregoing, according to the ninth aspect, thelogical value of the embedded digital information is judged by theresults of extracting the transform coefficients which have beenembedded in the lowest frequency band which is hardly affected by datadestruction in high frequency bands, and calculating the quantizationvalue of the mean value of the transform coefficients in each of theblocks in the low frequency band using a previously determined method.Consequently, accurate digital information can be extracted withoutbeing affected by an attack from an unauthorized user.

A tenth aspect is directed to a digital information extracting apparatusfor extracting inherent digital information embedded by a particularapparatus in transform coefficients in the lowest frequency bandobtained by dividing a digital image signal using either discretewavelet transform or sub-band division, wherein the digital image signaloutputted by the particular apparatus, a quantization step-size, and amean value LM of the transform coefficients in the lowest frequency bandat the time of output are inputted, comprising a band division means fordividing the digital image signal into transform coefficients over aplurality of frequency bands using either discrete wavelet transform orsub-band division, a mean difference subtraction means for calculating amean value LM′ of the transform coefficients in the lowest frequencyband out of the plurality of frequency bands obtained by the division,and subtracting a difference DM (=LM′−LM) between the mean value LM′ andthe mean value LM from all the transform coefficients in the lowestfrequency band, a block division means for dividing the lowest frequencyband after the subtraction of the difference DL into a plurality ofblocks in accordance with a previously determined block size, aquantization means for calculating for each of the blocks a mean value Mof the transform coefficients in the block, and subjecting the meanvalue M to linear quantization using the quantization step-size Q, tocalculate a quantization value, and a digital information judgment meansfor judging whether the quantization value is even or odd, to extractthe embedded digital information on the basis of the results of thejudgment.

As described in the foregoing, according to the tenth aspect, thelogical value of the embedded digital information is judged by theresults of calculating, with respect to the lowest frequency bandincluding the transform coefficients whose mean value is corrected usingthe mean values LM′ and LM even when it is changed by image processingsuch as irreversible compression, the quantization value of the meanvalue of the transform coefficients in each of the blocks in the lowfrequency band using a previously determined method. Consequently, moreaccurate digital information can be extracted without being affected byan attack from an unauthorized user.

An eleventh aspect is directed to a digital information extractingapparatus for extracting inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in transform coefficients obtained by subjecting adigital image signal to signal transformation which is any one ofdiscrete cosine transform, Fourier transform and Hadamard transform,then dividing the digital image signal into blocks, and subjecting eachof the blocks to orthogonal transform, wherein the digital image signaloutputted by the particular apparatus and a quantization step-size areinputted, comprising an orthogonal transform means for dividing thedigital image signal into a plurality of blocks each composed of aplurality of pixels previously determined, and subjecting, for each ofthe blocks, the block to orthogonal transform, to calculate transformcoefficients, a block selection means for further classifying theplurality of blocks obtained by the division into groups each comprisingone or two or more blocks in accordance with a previously determinednumber of blocks, a quantization means for calculating for each of thegroups a mean value of the respective transform coefficients having thelowest frequency components in the blocks belonging to the group, andsubjecting the mean value to linear quantization using the previouslydetermined quantization step-size, to calculate a quantization value,and a digital information judgment means for judging whether thequantization value is even or odd, to extract the embedded digitalinformation on the basis of the results of the judgment.

As described in the foregoing, according to the eleventh aspect, thelogical value of the embedded digital information is judged by theresults of extracting the transform coefficient which has been embeddedin the lowest frequency component which is hardly affected by datadestruction in high frequency bands, and calculating the quantizationvalue of the mean value of the respective transform coefficients havingthe lowest frequency components in the plurality of blocks using apreviously determined method. Consequently, accurate digital informationcan be extracted without being affected by an attack from anunauthorized user.

A twelfth aspect is directed to a digital information extractingapparatus for extracting inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in transform coefficients obtained by subjecting adigital image signal to signal transformation which is any one ofdiscrete cosine transform, Fourier transform and Hadamard transform,then dividing the digital image signal into blocks, and subjecting eachof the blocks to orthogonal transform, wherein the digital image signaloutputted by the particular apparatus, a quantization step-size, and amean value LM of the amplitude values of pixels in the digital imagesignal at the time of output are inputted, comprising a mean differencesubtraction means for calculating a mean value LM′ of the amplitudevalues of the pixels in the digital image signal at the time of input,and subtracting a difference DM (=LM′−LM) between the mean value LM′ andthe mean value LM from the values of all the pixels in the digital imagesignal, an orthogonal transform means for dividing the digital imagesignal after the subtraction of the difference DL into a plurality ofblocks each composed of a plurality of pixels previously determined, andsubjecting, for each of the blocks, the block to orthogonal transform,to calculate transform coefficient, a block selection means for furtherclassifying the plurality of blocks obtained by the division into groupseach comprising one or two or more blocks in accordance with apreviously determined number of blocks, a quantization means forcalculating for each of the groups a mean value of the respectivetransform coefficients having the lowest frequency components in theblocks belonging to the group, and subjecting the mean value to linearquantization using the previously determined quantization step-size, tocalculate a quantization value, and a digital information judgment meansfor judging whether the quantization value is even or odd, to extractthe embedded digital information on the basis of the results of thejudgment.

As described in the foregoing, according to the twelfth aspect, thelogical value of the embedded digital information is judged by theresults of calculating, with respect to the lowest frequency component,in the digital image signal, including the transform coefficients whosemean value is corrected using the mean values LM′ and LM of theamplitude values of the pixels in the digital image signal even when itis changed by image processing such as irreversible compression, thequantization value of the mean value of the respective transformcoefficients having the lowest frequency components in the plurality ofblocks using a previously determined method. Consequently, more accuratedigital information can be extracted without being affected by an attackfrom an unauthorized user.

A thirteenth aspect is directed to a digital information extractingapparatus for extracting inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in a mean value of pixels composing each of blocksobtained by dividing a digital image signal, wherein the digital imagesignal outputted by the particular apparatus and a quantizationstep-size are inputted, comprising a block selection means for dividingthe digital image signal into a plurality of blocks each composed of aplurality of pixels previously determined, a quantization means forcalculating for each of the blocks a mean value of the pixels composingthe block, and subjecting the mean value to linear quantization usingthe quantization step-size, to calculate a quantization value, and adigital information judgment means for judging whether the quantizationvalue is even or odd, to extract the embedded digital information on thebasis of the results of the judgment.

As described in the foregoing, according to the thirteenth aspect, thelogical value of the embedded digital information is judged by theresults of extracting the mean value of the pixels composing the blockwhich is hardly affected by data destruction in high frequency bands,and calculating the quantization value of the mean value using apreviously determined method. Consequently, accurate digital informationcan be extracted without being affected by an attack from anunauthorized user.

A fourteenth aspect is directed to a digital information extractingapparatus for extracting inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in a mean value of pixels composing each of blocksobtained by dividing a digital image signal, wherein the digital imagesignal outputted by the particular apparatus, a quantization step-size,and a mean value LM of the amplitude values of the pixels in the digitalimage signal at the time of output are inputted, comprising a meandifference subtraction means for calculating a mean value LM′ of theamplitude values of the pixels in the digital image signal at the timeof input, and subtracting a difference DL (=LM′−LM) between the meanvalue LM′ and the mean value LM from the values of all the pixels in thedigital image signal, a block selection means for dividing the digitalimage signal after the subtraction of the difference DL into a pluralityof blocks each composed of a plurality of pixels previously determined,a quantization means for calculating a mean value of the pixelscomposing each of the blocks obtained by the division, and subjectingthe mean value to linear quantization using the quantization step-size,to calculate a quantization value, and a digital information judgmentmeans for judging whether the quantization value is even or odd, toextract the embedded digital information on the basis of the results ofthe judgment.

As described in the foregoing, according to the fourteenth aspect, thelogical value of the embedded digital information is judged by theresults of calculating, with respect to the digital image signalincluding blocks each composed of the pixels whose mean value iscorrected using the mean values LM′ and LM of the amplitude values ofthe pixels in the digital image signal even when it is changed by imageprocessing such as irreversible compression, the quantization value ofthe mean value of the pixels composing the block using a previouslydetermined method. Consequently, accurate digital information can beextracted without being affected by an attack from an unauthorized user.

A fifteenth aspect is directed to a digital information embeddingapparatus for embedding inherent digital information in a digital imagesignal, comprising a band division means for dividing the digital imagesignal into transform coefficients over a plurality of frequency bandsusing either discrete wavelet transform or sub-band division, a mapinformation generation means for generating, with respect to each of thetransform coefficients included in the one or two frequency bands out ofthe plurality of frequency bands obtained by the division, mapinformation storing a true/false value based on decision whether or notall the absolute amplitude values of the transform coefficient and theother transform coefficients in the same space representation region inthe same direction of division as the one or two frequency bands are notmore than a previously determined set value, a signal replacement meansfor replacing all of the transform coefficient and the other transformcoefficients which correspond to the position where the true/false valueof the map information is true with a previously determined transformvalue on the basis of the value of the digital information to beembedded in the transform coefficients, and a band synthesis means forsynthesizing the plurality of transform coefficients after thereplacement, to reconstruct a digital image signal.

As described in the foregoing, according to the fifteenth aspect, thedigital information is embedded in the frequency signal over a pluralityof hierarchies using either the discrete wavelet transform or thesub-band division. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the embeddeddigital information from being lost against an attack for unauthorizedutilization from a third person.

A sixteenth aspect is characterized in that in the fifteenth aspect, thetransform value is set to integers±K which are not more than the setvalue, and the signal replacement means replaces the transformcoefficient and the other transform coefficients with the transformvalue+K when each of bits composing the digital information takes alogical value 1, while replacing the transform coefficients with thetransform value−K when the bit takes a logical value 0.

As described in the foregoing, according to the sixteenth aspect, thetransform coefficient whose absolute amplitude value is not more thanthe set value is replaced with the transform values±K which are set tonot more than the set value. Consequently, it is possible to reduce theeffect on the degradation of the image at the time of extracting theembedded digital information, and it is difficult for a third person todetect the embedded digital information.

A seventeenth aspect is characterized in that in the fifteenth aspect,the map information generation means generates the map information withrespect to the transform coefficients included in at least one or bothof the frequency band which is low in its horizontal component and ishigh in its vertical component and the frequency band which is high inits horizontal component and is low in its vertical component.

An eighteenth aspect is characterized in that in the sixteenth aspect,the map information generation means generates the map information withrespect to the transform coefficients included in at least one or bothof the frequency band which is low in its horizontal component and ishigh in its vertical component and the frequency band which is high inits horizontal component and is low in its vertical component.

As described in the foregoing, according to the seventeenth andeighteenth aspects, the digital information is embedded in the frequencysignal having the lower frequency component in the fifteenth andsixteenth aspects. Consequently, it is possible to further prevent theembedded digital information from being lost against an attack forunauthorized utilization from a third person

A nineteenth aspect is directed to a digital information embeddingapparatus for embedding inherent digital information in a digital imagesignal, comprising a band division means for dividing the digital imagesignal into transfer coefficients over a plurality of frequency bandsusing either discrete wavelet transform or sub-band division, a mapinformation generation means for generating, with respect to each of thetransform coefficients included in the one or two frequency bands out ofthe plurality of frequency bands obtained by the division, mapinformation storing a true/false value based on decision whether or notthe absolute amplitude value of the transform coefficient is includedbetween upper-limit and lower-limit threshold values which arepreviously determined, a signal replacement means for replacing thetransform coefficient corresponding to the position where the true/falsevalue of the map information is true with a previously determinedtransform value on the basis of the sign of the transform coefficientand the value of the digital information to be embedded in the transformcoefficient, and a band synthesis means for synthesizing the pluralityof transform coefficients after the replacement, to reconstruct adigital image signal.

As described in the foregoing, according to the nineteenth aspect, thedigital information is embedded only in the transform coefficients in adeep hierarchical signal which is hardly affected using the discretewavelet transform or the sub-band division. Consequently, it is possibleto further prevent the embedded digital information from being lostagainst an attack for unauthorized utilization from a third person.

A twentieth aspect is directed to a digital information embeddingapparatus for embedding inherent digital information in a digital imagesignal, comprising an orthogonal transform means for dividing thedigital image signal into a plurality of block signals of a previouslydetermined size, and subjecting, for each of the block signals, theblock signal to orthogonal transform, to calculate transformcoefficients, a map information generation means for generating, withrespect to each of the transform coefficients included in the one or twoblock signals out of the plurality of block signals obtained by thedivision, map information storing a true/false value based on decisionwhether or not the absolute amplitude value of the transform coefficientis included between upper-limit and lower-limit threshold values whichare previously determined, a signal replacement means for replacing thetransform coefficient corresponding to the position where the true/falsevalue of the map information is true with a previously determinedtransform value on the basis of the sign of the transform coefficientand the value of the digital information to be embedded in the transformcoefficient, and an inverse orthogonal transform means for subjectingthe plurality of transform coefficients after the replacement to inverseorthogonal transform, to reconstruct a digital image signal.

As described in the foregoing, according to the twentieth aspect, thedigital information is embedded only in the transform coefficients in adeep hierarchical signal which is hardly affected using the orthogonaltransform. Consequently, it is possible to further prevent the embeddeddigital information from being lost against an attack for unauthorizedutilization from a third person.

A twenty-first aspect is characterized in that in the twentieth aspect,the orthogonal transform means performs frequency transformation whichis any one of discrete cosine transform, Fourier transform and Hadamardtransform.

As described in the foregoing, according to the twenty-first aspect, thetypical system of the frequency transformation performed by theorthogonal transform means in the twentieth aspect is specified.

A twenty-second aspect is characterized in that in the nineteenthaspect, the transform value is set to integers±A and±B between theupper-limit and lower-limit threshold values, and the signal replacementmeans replaces the transform coefficient with the transform value+A wheneach of bits composing the digital information takes a logical value 1and the sign of the transform coefficient is positive, with thetransform value−A when the bit takes a logical value 1 and the sign ofthe transform coefficient is negative, with the transform value+B whenthe bit takes a logical value 0 and the sign of the transformcoefficient is positive, and with the transform value−B when the bittakes a logical value 0 and the sign of the transform coefficient isnegative.

A twenty-third aspect is characterized in that in the twentieth aspect,the transform value is set to integers±A and±B between the upper-limitand lower-limit threshold values, and the signal replacement meansreplaces the transform coefficient with the transform value+A when eachof bits composing the digital information takes a logical value 1 andthe sign of the transform coefficient is positive, with the transformvalue−A when the bit takes a logical value 1 and the sign of thetransform coefficient is negative, with the transform value+B when thebit takes a logical value 0 and the sign of the transform coefficient ispositive, and with the transform value−B when the bit takes a logicalvalue 0 and the sign of the transform coefficient is negative.

A twenty-fourth aspect is characterized in that in the twenty-firstaspect, the transform value is set to integers±A and±B between theupper-limit and lower-limit threshold values, and the signal replacementmeans replaces the transform coefficient with the transform value+A wheneach of bits composing the digital information takes a logical value 1and the sign of the transform coefficient is positive, with thetransform value−A when the bit takes a logical value 1 and the sign ofthe transform coefficient is negative, with the transform value+B whenthe bit takes a logical value 0 and the sign of the transformcoefficient is positive, and with the transform value−B when the bittakes a logical value 0 and the sign of the transform coefficient isnegative.

As described in the foregoing, according to the twenty-second totwenty-fourth aspects, the transform coefficient whose absoluteamplitude value is within the threshold range is transformed into andreplaced with a value within the threshold range considering the sign ofthe transform coefficient. Consequently, it is possible to reduce theeffect on the degradation of the image at the time of extracting theembedded digital information, and it is difficult for a third person todetect the embedded digital information.

A twenty-fifth aspect is characterized in that in the nineteenth aspect,the map information generation means generates the map information withrespect to the respective transform coefficients having the lowfrequency components other than the DC components.

A twenty-sixth aspect is characterized in that in the twentieth aspect,the map information generation means generates the map information withrespect to the respective transform coefficients having the lowfrequency components other than the DC components.

A twenty-seventh aspect is characterized in that in the twenty-firstaspect, the map information generation means generates the mapinformation with respect to the respective transform coefficients havingthe low frequency components other than the DC components.

A twenty-eighth aspect is characterized in that in the twenty-secondaspect, the map information generation means generates the mapinformation with respect to the respective transform coefficients havingthe low frequency components other than the DC components.

A twenty-ninth aspect is characterized in that in the twenty-thirdaspect, the map information generation means generates the mapinformation with respect to the respective transform coefficients havingthe low frequency components other than the DC components.

A thirtieth aspect is characterized in that in the twenty-fourth aspect,the map information generation means generates the map information withrespect to the respective transform coefficients having the lowfrequency components other than the DC components.

As described in the foregoing, according to the twenty-fifth tothirtieth aspects, the digital information is embedded in the frequencysignal having the lower frequency component in the nineteenth totwenty-fourth aspects. Consequently, it is possible to further preventthe embedded digital information from being lost against an attack forunauthorized utilization from a third person.

A thirty-first aspect is directed to a digital information extractingapparatus for extracting inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in transform coefficients obtained by dividing adigital image signal using either discrete wavelet transform or sub-banddivision, wherein the digital image signal outputted by the particularapparatus and map information representing the position where thedigital information is embedded are inputted, comprising a band divisionmeans for dividing the digital image signal into transform coefficientsover a plurality of frequency bands using either discrete wavelettransform or sub-band division, a map information analysis means forextracting, on the basis of the map information, the transformcoefficient corresponding to the position where a true/false value ofthe map information is true and the other transform coefficients in thesame space representation region in the same direction of division asthe frequency band including the transform coefficient, a coefficientcalculation means for calculating a total value of the transformcoefficients included in the one or two or more frequency bands out ofthe transform coefficient and the other transform coefficients which areextracted, and a digital information judgment means for judging the signof the total value, to extract the embedded digital information on thebasis of the results of the judgment.

As described in the foregoing, according to the thirty-first aspect, thelogical value of the embedded digital information is judged by theresults of extracting the transform coefficients which have beenembedded in the low frequency band which is hardly affected by datadestruction in high frequency bands, and calculating the total value ofthe transform coefficients using a previously determined method.Consequently, accurate digital information can be extracted withoutbeing affected by an attack from an unauthorized user.

A thirty-second aspect is directed to a digital information extractingapparatus for extracting inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in transform coefficients obtained by dividing adigital image signal using either discrete wavelet transform or sub-banddivision, wherein the digital image signal outputted by the particularapparatus, map information representing the position where the digitalinformation is embedded, and information representing a transform valueto be embedded are inputted, comprising a band division means fordividing the image signal into transform coefficients over a pluralityof frequency bands using either discrete wavelet transform or sub-banddivision, a map information analysis means for extracting, on the basisof the map information, the transform coefficient corresponding to theposition where a true/false value of the map information is true, anerror calculation means for calculating an absolute error between theextracted transform coefficient and the transform value, and a digitalinformation judgment means for judging the absolute error, to extractthe embedded digital information on the basis of the results of thejudgment.

As described in the foregoing, according to the thirty-second aspect,the logical value of the embedded digital information is judged by theresults of extracting the transform coefficient which has been embeddedin a deep hierarchical signal which is not affected by data destructionin high frequency bands, and calculating and judging the absolute errorbetween the transform coefficient and the transform value using apreviously determined method. Consequently, accurate digital informationcan be extracted without being affected by an attack from anunauthorized user.

A thirty-third aspect is directed to a digital information extractingapparatus for extracting inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in transform coefficients obtained by subjecting adigital image signal to frequency transformation which is any one ofdiscrete cosine transform, Fourier transform and Hadamard transform,then dividing the digital image signal into blocks, and subjecting eachof the blocks to orthogonal transform, wherein the digital image signaloutputted by the particular apparatus, map information representing theposition where the digital information is embedded, and informationrepresenting a transform value to be embedded are inputted, comprisingan orthogonal transform means for dividing the digital image signal intoa plurality of block signals of a previously determined size, andsubjecting, for each of the block signals, the block signal toorthogonal transform, to calculate transform coefficients, a mapinformation analysis means for extracting, on the basis of the mapinformation, the transform coefficient corresponding to the positionwhere a true/false value of the map information is true, an errorcalculation means for calculating an absolute error between theextracted transform coefficient and the transform value, and a digitalinformation judgment means for judging the absolute error, to extractthe embedded digital information on the basis of the results of thejudgment.

As described in the foregoing, according to the thirty-third aspect, thelogical value of the embedded digital information is judged by theresults of extracting the transform coefficient which has been embeddedin a deep hierarchical signal which is not affected by data destructionin high frequency bands and calculating and judging the absolute errorbetween the transform coefficient and the transform value using apreviously determined method. Consequently, accurate digital informationcan be extracted without being affected by an attack from anunauthorized user.

A thirty-fourth aspect is directed to a digital information embeddingmethod of embedding inherent digital information in a digital imagesignal, comprising the steps of dividing the digital image signal intotransform coefficients over a plurality of frequency bands using eitherdiscrete wavelet transform or sub-band division, dividing the lowestfrequency band out of the plurality of frequency bands obtained by thedivision into a plurality of blocks in accordance with a previouslydetermined block size, calculating for each of the blocks a mean value Mof the transform coefficients in the block, and subjecting the meanvalue M to linear quantization using a previously determinedquantization step-size Q (Q is an integer of not less than one), tocalculate a quantization value, replacing for each of the blocks, on thebasis of the quantization value and the value of the digital informationto be embedded which correspond to the block, the quantization value,subjecting for each of the blocks the replaced quantization value toinverse linear quantization using the quantization step-size Q tocalculate a mean value M′, and adding a difference DM (=M′−M) betweenthe mean value M′ and the mean value M to all the transform coefficientsin the block, calculating a mean value LM of the transform coefficientsin the lowest frequency band after the addition of the difference DM,and reconstructing a digital image signal in which the digitalinformation has been embedded using the lowest frequency band after theaddition of the difference DM and the other frequency bands.

As described in the foregoing, according to the thirty-fourth aspect,the digital information is embedded in the transform coefficients in thelowest frequency band using either the discrete wavelet transform, orthe sub-band division. Consequently, it is possible to prevent theembedded digital information from being lost against an attack forunauthorized utilization from a third person.

A thirty-fifth aspect is directed to a digital information embeddingmethod of embedding inherent digital information in a digital imagesignal, comprising the steps of dividing the digital image signal into aplurality of blocks each composed of a plurality of pixels previouslydetermined, and subjecting, for each of the blocks, the block toorthogonal transform, to calculate transform coefficients, furtherclassifying the plurality of blocks obtained by the division into groupseach comprising one or two or more blocks in accordance with apreviously determined number of blocks, extracting, for each of blocksbelonging to each of the groups, the transform coefficient having thelowest frequency component (hereinafter referred to as a DC component)out of the transform coefficients in the block and calculating a meanvalue M of the respective DC components in the blocks, and subjectingthe mean value M to linear quantization using a previously determinedquantization step-size Q (Q is an integer of not less than one), tocalculate a quantization value, replacing for each of the groups, on thebasis of the quantization value and the value of the digital informationto be embedded which correspond to the group, the quantization value,subjecting for each of the groups the replaced quantization value toinverse linear quantization using the quantization step-size Q tocalculate a mean value M′, and adding a difference DM (=M′−M) betweenthe mean value M′ and the mean value M to all the respective DCcomponents in the blocks belonging to the group, subjecting theplurality of blocks after the addition of the difference DM to inverseorthogonal transform, to reconstruct a digital image signal in which thedigital information has been embedded, and calculating a mean value LMof the amplitude values of the pixels in the reconstructed digital imagesignal.

As described in the foregoing, according to the thirty-fifth aspect, thedigital information is embedded only in the lowest frequency componentusing the orthogonal transform. Consequently, it is possible to preventthe embedded digital information from being lost against an attack forunauthorized utilization from a third person.

A thirty-sixth aspect is characterized in that in the thirty-fifthaspect, the step of respectively calculating the transform coefficientsperforms signal transformation which is any one of discrete cosinetransform, Fourier transform and Hadamard transform.

As described in the foregoing, according to the thirty-sixth aspect, thetypical system of the signal transformation performed in the calculatingstep in the thirty-fifth aspect is specified.

A thirty-seventh aspect is directed to a digital information embeddingmethod of embedding inherent digital information in a digital imagesignal, comprising the steps of dividing the digital image signal into aplurality of blocks each composed of a plurality of pixels previouslydetermined, calculating for each of the blocks a mean value M of thepixels composing the block, and subjecting the mean value M to linearquantization using a previously determined quantization step-size Q (Qis an integer of not less than one), to calculate a quantization value,replacing for each of the blocks, on the basis of the quantization valueand the value of the digital information to be embedded which correspondto the block, the quantization value, subjecting for each of the blocksthe replaced quantization value to inverse linear quantization using thequantization step-size Q to calculate a mean value M′, and adding adifference DM (=M′−M) between the mean value M′ and the mean value M toall the pixels composing the block, and calculating a mean value LM ofthe amplitude values of the pixels in the digital image signal after theaddition of the difference DM.

As described in the foregoing, according to the thirty-seventh aspect,the digital information is embedded in the mean value of the pixelscomposing the block, that is, the lowest frequency component.Consequently, it is possible to prevent the embedded digital informationfrom being lost against an attack for unauthorized utilization from athird person.

A thirty-eighth aspect is characterized in that the step of replacingthe quantization value of the thirty-fourth aspect replaces thequantization value with an odd value closest to the value of (M/Q) wheneach of bits composing the digital information takes a logical value 1,while replacing the quantization value with an even value closest to thevalue of (M/Q) when the bit takes a logical value 0.

A thirty-ninth aspect is characterized in that in the thirty-fifthaspect, the step of replacing the quantization value replaces thequantization value with an odd value closest to the value of (M/Q) wheneach of bits composing the digital information takes a logical value 1,while replacing the quantization value with an even value closest to thevalue of (M/Q) when the bit takes a logical value 0.

A fortieth aspect is characterized in that in the thirty-sixth aspect,the step of replacing the quantization value replaces the quantizationvalue with an odd value closest to the value of (M/Q) when each of bitscomposing the digital information takes a logical value 1, whilereplacing the quantization value with an even value closest to the valueof (M/Q) when the bit takes a logical value 0.

A forty-first aspect is characterized in that in the thirty-seventhaspect, the step of replacing the quantization value replaces thequantization value with an odd value closest to the value of (M/Q) wheneach of bits composing the digital information takes a logical value 1,while replacing the quantization value with an even value closest to thevalue of (M/Q) when the bit takes a logical value 0.

As described in the foregoing, according to the thirty-eighth toforty-first aspects, the quantization value is replaced with an odd oreven value closest to the value of (M/Q) on the basis of the logicalvalue of each of the bits composing the digital information in thethirty-fourth to thirty-seventh aspects. Consequently, it is possible toreduce the effect on the degradation of the image at the time ofextracting the embedded digital information, and it is difficult for athird person to detect the embedded digital information.

A forty-second aspect is directed to a digital information extractingmethod of extracting inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in transform coefficients in the lowest frequencyband obtained by dividing a digital image signal using either discretewavelet transform or sub-band division, wherein the digital image signaloutputted by the particular apparatus and a quantization step-size areinputted, comprising the steps of dividing the digital image signal intotransform coefficients over a plurality of frequency bands using eitherdiscrete wavelet transform or sub-band division, dividing the lowestfrequency band out of the plurality of frequency bands obtained by thedivision into a plurality of blocks in accordance with a previouslydetermined block size, calculating for each of the blocks a mean value Mof the transform coefficients in the block, and subjecting the meanvalue M to linear quantization using the previously determinedquantization step-size Q, to calculate a quantization value, and judgingwhether the quantization value is even or odd, to extract the embeddeddigital information on the basis of the results of the judgment.

As described in the foregoing, according to the forty-second aspect, thelogical value of the embedded digital information is judged by theresults of extracting the transform coefficients which have beenembedded in the lowest frequency band which is hardly affected by datadestruction in high frequency bands, and calculating the quantizationvalue of the mean value of the transform coefficients in each of theblocks in the lowest frequency band using a previously determinedmethod. Consequently, accurate digital information can be extractedwithout being affected by an attack from an unauthorized user.

A forty-third aspect is directed to a digital information extractingmethod of extracting inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in transform coefficients in the lowest frequencyband obtained by dividing a digital image signal using either discretewavelet transform or sub-band division, wherein the digital image signaloutputted by the particular apparatus, a quantization step-size, and amean value LM of the transform coefficients in the lowest frequency bandat the time of output are inputted, comprising the steps of dividing thedigital image signal into transform coefficients over a plurality offrequency bands using either discrete wavelet transform or sub-banddivision, calculating a mean value LM′ of the transform coefficients inthe lowest frequency band out of the plurality of frequency bandsobtained by the division, and subtracting a difference DM (=LM′−LM)between the mean value LM′ and the mean value LM from all the transformcoefficients in the lowest frequency band, dividing the lowest frequencyband after the subtraction of the difference DL into a plurality ofblocks in accordance with a previously determined block size,calculating for each of the blocks a mean value M of the transformcoefficients in the block, and subjecting the mean value M to linearquantization using the quantization step-size Q, to calculate aquantization value, and judging whether the quantization value is evenor odd, to extract the embedded digital information on the basis of theresults of the judgment.

As described in the foregoing, according to the forty-third aspect, thelogical value of the embedded digital information is judged by theresults of calculating, with respect to the lowest frequency bandincluding the transform coefficients whose mean value is corrected usingthe mean values LM′ and LM even when it is changed by image processingsuch as irreversible compression, the quantization value of the meanvalue of the transform coefficients in each of the blocks in the lowestfrequency band using a previously determined method. Consequently, moreaccurate digital information can be extracted without being affected byan attack from an unauthorized user.

A forty-fourth aspect is directed to a digital information extractingmethod of extracting inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in transform coefficients obtained by subjecting adigital image signal to frequency transformation which is any one ofdiscrete cosine transform, Fourier transform and Hadamard transform,then dividing the digital image signal into blocks, and subjecting eachof the blocks to orthogonal transform, wherein the digital image signaloutputted by the particular apparatus and a quantization step-size areinputted, comprising the steps of dividing the digital image signal intoa plurality of blocks each composed of a plurality of pixels previouslydetermined, and subjecting, for each of the blocks, the block toorthogonal transform, to calculate transform coefficients, furtherclassifying the plurality of blocks obtained by the division into groupseach comprising one or two or more blocks in accordance with apreviously determined number of blocks, calculating for each of thegroups a mean value of the respective transform coefficients having thelowest frequency components in the blocks belonging to the group, andsubjecting the mean value to linear quantization using the previouslydetermined quantization step-size, to calculate a quantization value,and judging whether the quantization value is even or odd, to extractthe embedded digital information on the basis of the results of thejudgment.

As described in the foregoing, according to the forty-fourth aspect, thelogical value of the embedded digital information is judged by theresults of extracting the transform coefficient which has been embeddedin the lowest frequency component which is hardly affected by datadestruction in high frequency bands, and calculating the quantizationvalue of the mean value of the respective transform coefficients havingthe lowest frequency components in the plurality of blocks using apreviously determined method. Consequently, accurate digital informationcan be extracted without being affected by an attack from anunauthorized user.

A forty-fifth aspect is directed to a digital information extractingmethod of extracting inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in transform coefficients obtained by subjecting adigital image signal to signal transformation which is any one ofdiscrete cosine transform, Fourier transform and Hadamard transform,then dividing the digital image signal into blocks, and subjecting eachof the blocks to orthogonal transform, wherein the digital image signaloutputted by the particular apparatus, a quantization step-size, and amean value LM of the amplitude values of pixels in the digital imagesignal at the time of output are inputted, comprising the steps ofcalculating a mean value LM′ of the amplitude values of the pixels inthe digital image signal at the time of input, and subtracting adifference DM (=LM′−LM) between the mean value LM′ and the mean value LMfrom the values of all the pixels in the digital image signal, dividingthe digital image signal after the subtraction of the difference DL intoa plurality of blocks each composed of the plurality of pixelspreviously determined, and subjecting, for each of the blocks, the blockto orthogonal transform, to calculate transform coefficients, furtherclassifying the plurality of blocks obtained by the division into groupseach comprising one or two or more blocks in accordance with apreviously determined number of blocks, calculating for each of thegroups a mean value of the respective transform coefficients having thelowest frequency components in the blocks belonging to the group, andsubjecting the mean value to linear quantization using the previouslydetermined quantization step-size, to calculate a quantization value,and judging whether the quantization value is even or odd, to extractthe embedded digital information on the basis of the results of thejudgment.

As described in the foregoing, according to the forty-fifth aspect, thelogical value of the embedded digital information is judged by theresults of calculating, with respect to the lowest frequency component,in the digital image signal, including the transform coefficients whosemean value is corrected using the mean values LM′ and LM of theamplitude values of the pixels in the digital image signal even when itis changed by image processing such as irreversible compression, thequantization value of the mean value of the respective transformcoefficients having the lowest frequency components in the plurality ofblocks using a previously determined method. Consequently, more accuratedigital information can be extracted without being affected by an attackfrom an unauthorized user.

A forty-sixth aspect is directed to a digital information extractingmethod of extracting inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in a mean value of pixels composing each of blocksobtained by dividing a digital image signal, wherein the digital imagesignal outputted by the particular apparatus and a quantizationstep-size are inputted, comprising the steps of dividing the digitalimage signal into a plurality of blocks each composed of a plurality ofpixels previously determined, calculating for each of the blocks a meanvalue of the pixels composing the block, and subjecting the mean valueto linear quantization using the quantization step-size, to calculate aquantization value, and judging whether the quantization value is evenor odd, to extract the embedded digital information on the basis of theresults of the judgment.

As described in the foregoing, according to the forty-sixth aspect, thelogical value of the embedded digital information is judged by theresults of extracting the mean value of the pixels composing the blockwhich is hardly affected by data destruction in high frequency bands,and calculating the quantization value of the mean value using apreviously determined method. Consequently, accurate digital informationcan be extracted without being affected by an attack from anunauthorized user.

A forty-seventh aspect is directed to a digital information extractingmethod of extracting inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in a mean value of pixels composing each of blocksobtained by dividing a digital image signal, wherein the digital imagesignal outputted by the particular apparatus, a quantization step-size,and a mean value LM of the amplitude values of the pixels in the digitalimage signal at the time of output are inputted, comprising the steps ofcalculating a mean value LM′ of the amplitude values of the pixels inthe digital image signal at the time of input, and subtracting adifference DL (=LM′−LM) between the mean value LM′ and the mean value LMfrom the values of all the pixels in the digital image signal, dividingthe digital image signal after the subtraction of the difference DL intoa plurality of blocks each composed of a plurality of pixels previouslydetermined, calculating a mean value of the pixels composing each of theblocks obtained by the division, and subjecting the mean value to linearquantization using the quantization step-size, to calculate aquantization value, and judging whether the quantization value is evenor odd, to extract the embedded digital information on the basis of theresults of the judgement.

As described in the foregoing, according to the forty-seventh aspect,the logical value of the embedded digital information is judged by theresults of calculating, with respect to the digital image signalincluding the blocks each composed of pixels whose mean value iscorrected using the mean values LM′ and LM of the amplitude values ofthe pixels in the digital image signal even when it is changed by imageprocessing such as irreversible compression, the quantization value ofthe mean value of the pixels composing the block using a previouslydetermined method. Consequently, accurate digital information can beextracted without being affected by an attack from an unauthorized user.

A forty-eighth aspect is directed to a digital information embeddingmethod of embedding inherent digital information in a digital imagesignal, comprising the steps of dividing the digital image signal into aplurality of frequency bands to obtain transform coefficients usingeither discrete wavelet transform or sub-band division, generating, withrespect to each of the transform coefficients included in the one or twofrequency bands out of the plurality of frequency bands obtained by thedivision, map information storing a true/false value based on decisionwhether or not all the absolute amplitude values of the transformcoefficient and the other transform coefficients in the same spacerepresentation region in the same direction of division as the one ortwo frequency bands are not more than a previously determined set value,replacing all of the transform coefficient and the other transformcoefficients which correspond to the position where the true/false valueof the map information is true with a previously determined transformvalue on the basis of the value of the digital information to beembedded in the transform coefficients, and synthesizing the pluralityof transform coefficients after the replacement, to reconstruct adigital image signal.

As described in the foregoing, according to the forty-eighth aspect, thedigital information is embedded in a frequency signal over a pluralityof hierarchies using either the discrete wavelet transform or thesub-band division. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the embeddeddigital information from being lost against an attack for unauthorizedutilization from a third person.

A forty-ninth aspect is characterized in that in the forty-eighthaspect, the transform value is set to integers±K which are not more thanthe set value, and the replacing step replaces the transform coefficientand the other transform coefficients with the transform value+K wheneach of bits composing the digital information takes a logical value 1,while replacing the transform coefficients with the transform value−Kwhen the bit takes a logical value 0.

As described in the foregoing, according to the forty-ninth aspect, thetransform coefficient whose absolute amplitude value is not more thanthe set value is replaced with the transform values±K which are set tonot more than the set value. Consequently, it is possible to reduce theeffect on the degradation of the image at the time of extracting theembedded digital information, and it is difficult for a third person todetect the embedded digital information.

A fiftieth aspect is characterized in that in the forty-eighth aspect,the generating step generates the map information with respect to thetransform coefficients included in at least one or both of the frequencyband which is low in its horizontal component and is high in itsvertical component and the frequency band which is high in itshorizontal component and is low in its vertical component.

A fifty-first aspect is characterized in that in the forty-ninth aspect,the generating step generates the map information with respect to thetransform coefficients included in at least one or both of the frequencyband which is low in its horizontal component and is high in itsvertical component and the frequency band which is high in itshorizontal component and is low in its vertical component.

As described in the foregoing, according to the fiftieth and fifty-firstaspects, the digital information is embedded in the frequency signalhaving the lower frequency component in the forty-eighth and forty-ninthaspects. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the embedded digitalinformation from being lost against an attack for unauthorizedutilization from a third person.

A fifty-second aspect is directed to a digital information embeddingmethod of embedding inherent digital information in a digital imagesignal, comprising the steps of dividing the digital image signal intotransform coefficients over a plurality of frequency bands using eitherdiscrete wavelet transform or sub-band division, generating, withrespect to each of the transform coefficients included in the one or twofrequency bands out of the plurality of frequency bands obtained by thedivision, map information storing a true/false value based on decisionwhether or not the absolute amplitude value of the transform coefficientis included between upper-limit and lower-limit threshold values whichare previously determined, replacing the transform coefficientcorresponding to the position where the true/false value of the mapinformation is true with a previously determined transform value on thebasis of the sign of the transform coefficient and the value of thedigital information to be embedded in the transform coefficient, andsynthesizing the plurality of transform coefficients after thereplacement, to reconstruct a digital image signal.

As described in the foregoing, according to the fifty-second aspect, thedigital information is embedded only in the transform coefficients in adeep hierarchical signal which is hardly affected using either thediscrete wavelet transform or the sub-band division. Consequently, it ispossible to further prevent the embedded digital information from beinglost against an attack for unauthorized utilization from a third person.

A fifty-third aspect is directed to a digital information embeddingmethod of embedding inherent digital information in a digital imagesignal, comprising the steps of dividing the digital image signal into aplurality of block signals of a previously determined size, andsubjecting, for each of the block signals, the block signal toorthogonal transform, to calculate transform coefficients, generating,with respect to each of the transform coefficients included in the oneor two block signals out of the plurality of block signals obtained bythe division, map information storing a true/false value based ondecision whether or not the absolute amplitude value of the transformcoefficient is included between upper-limit and lower-limit thresholdvalues which are previously determined, replacing the transformcoefficient corresponding to the position where the true/false value ofthe map information is true with a previously determined transform valueon the basis of the sign of the transform coefficient and the value ofthe digital information to be embedded in the transform coefficient, andsubjecting the plurality of transform coefficients after the replacementto inverse orthogonal transform, to reconstruct a digital image signal.

As described in the foregoing, according to the fifty-third aspect, thedigital information is embedded only in the transform coefficients in adeep hierarchical signal which is hardly affected using the orthogonaltransform. Consequently, it is possible to further prevent the embeddeddigital information from being lost against an attack for unauthorizedutilization from a third person.

A fifty-fourth aspect is characterized in that in the fifty-thirdaspect, the calculating step performs frequency transformation which isany one of discrete cosine transform, Fourier transform and Hadamardtransform.

As described in the foregoing, according to the fifty-fourth aspect, thetypical system of the frequency transformation performed by theorthogonal transform means in the fifty-third aspect is specified.

A fifty-fifth aspect is characterized in that in the fifty-secondaspect, the transform value is set to integers±A and±B between theupper-limit and lower-limit threshold values, and the replacing stepreplaces the transform coefficient with the transform value+A when eachof bits composing the digital information takes a logical value 1 andthe sign of the transform coefficient is positive, with the transformvalue−A when the bit takes a logical value 1 and the sign of thetransform coefficient is negative, with the transform value+B when thebit takes a logical value 0 and the sign of the transform coefficient ispositive, and with the transform value−B when the bit takes a logicalvalue 0 and the sign of the transform coefficient is negative.

A fifty-sixth aspect is characterized in that in the fifty-third aspect,the transform value is set to integers±A and±B between the upper-limitand lower-limit threshold values, and the replacing step replaces thetransform coefficient with the transform value+A when each of bitscomposing the digital information takes a logical value 1 and the signof the transform coefficient is positive, with the transform value−Awhen the bit takes a logical value 1 and the sign of the transformcoefficient is negative, with the transform value+B when the bit takes alogical value 0 and the sign of the transform coefficient is positive,and with the transform value−B when the bit takes a logical value 0 andthe sign of the transform coefficient is negative.

A fifty-seventh aspect is characterized in that in the fifty-fourthaspect, the transform value is set to integers±A and±B between theupper-limit and lower-limit threshold values, and the replacing stepreplaces the transform coefficient with the transform value+A when eachof bits composing the digital information takes a logical value 1 andthe sign of the transform coefficient is positive, with the transformvalue−A when the bit takes a logical value 1 and the sign of thetransform coefficient is negative, with the transform value+B when thebit takes a logical value 0 and the sign of the transform coefficient ispositive, and with the transform value−B when the bit takes a logicalvalue 0 and the sign of the transform coefficient is negative.

As described in the foregoing, according to the fifty-fifth tofifty-seventh aspects, the transform coefficient whose absoluteamplitude value is within the threshold range is transformed into andreplaced with a value within the threshold range considering the sign ofthe transform coefficient. Consequently, it is possible to reduce theeffect on the degradation of the image at the time of extracting theembedded digital information, and it is difficult for a third person todetect the embedded digital information.

A fifty-eighth aspect is characterized in that in the fifty-secondaspect, the generating step generates the map information with respectto the respective transform coefficients having the low frequencycomponents other than the DC components.

A fifty-ninth aspect is characterized in that in the fifty-third aspect,the generating step generates the map information with respect to therespective transform coefficients having the low frequency componentsother than the DC components.

A sixtieth aspect is characterized in that in the fifty-fourth aspect,the generating step generates the map information with respect to therespective transform coefficients having the low frequency componentsother than the DC components.

A sixty-first aspect is characterized in that in the fifth—fifth aspect,the generating step generates the map information with respect to therespective transform coefficients having the low frequency componentsother than the DC components.

A sixty-second aspect is characterized in that in the fifty-sixthaspect, the generating step generates the map information with respectto the respective transform coefficients having the low frequencycomponents other than the DC components.

A sixty-third aspect is characterized in that in the fifty-seventhaspect, the generating step generates the map information with respectto the respective transform coefficients having the low frequencycomponents other than the DC components.

As described in the foregoing, according to the fifty-eighth tosixty-third aspects, the digital information is embedded in thefrequency signal having the lower frequency component in thefifty-second to fifty-seventh aspects. Consequently, it is possible tofurther prevent the embedded digital information from being lost againstan attack for unauthorized utilization from a third person.

A sixty-fourth aspect is directed to a digital information extractingmethod of extracting inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in transform coefficients obtained by dividing adigital image signal using either discrete wavelet transform or sub-banddivision, wherein the digital image signal outputted by the particularapparatus and map information representing the position where thedigital information is embedded are inputted, comprising the steps ofdividing the digital image signal into a plurality of frequency bands toobtain transform coefficients using either discrete wavelet transform orsub-band division, extracting, on the basis of the map information, thetransform coefficient corresponding to the position where a true/falsevalue of the map information is true and the other transformcoefficients in the same space representation region in the samedirection of division as the frequency band including the transformcoefficient, calculating a total value of the transform coefficientsincluded in the one or two or more frequency bands out of the transformcoefficient and the other transform coefficients which are extracted,and judging the sign of the total value, to extract the embedded digitalinformation on the basis of the results of the judgment.

As described in the foregoing, according to the sixty-fourth aspect, thelogical value of the embedded digital information is judged by theresults of extracting the transform coefficients which have beenembedded in the low frequency band which is hardly affected by datadestruction in high frequency bands, and calculating the total value ofthe transform coefficients using a previously determined method.Consequently, accurate digital information can be extracted withoutbeing affected by an attack from an unauthorized user.

A sixty-fifth aspect is directed to a digital information extractingmethod of extracting inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in transform coefficients obtained by dividing adigital image signal using either discrete wavelet transform or sub-banddivision, wherein the digital image signal outputted by the particularapparatus, map information representing the position where the digitalinformation is embedded, and information representing a transform valueto be embedded are inputted, comprising the steps of dividing the imagesignal into a plurality of frequency bands to obtain transformcoefficients using either discrete wavelet transform or sub-banddivision, extracting, on the basis of the map information, the transformcoefficient corresponding to the position where a true/false value ofthe map information is true, calculating an absolute error between theextracted transform coefficient and the transform value, and judging theabsolute error, to extract the embedded digital information on the basisof the results of the judgment.

As described in the foregoing, according to the sixty-fifth aspect, thelogical value of the embedded digital information is judged by theresults of extracting the transform coefficient which has been embeddedin a deep hierarchical signal which is not affected by data destructionin high frequency bands, and calculating and judging the absolute errorbetween the transform coefficient and the transform value using apreviously determined method. Consequently, accurate digital informationcan be extracted without being affected by an attack from anunauthorized user

A sixty-sixth aspect is directed to a digital information extractingmethod of extracting inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in transform coefficients obtained by subjecting adigital image signal to frequency transformation which is any one ofdiscrete cosine transform, Fourier transform and Hadamard transform,then dividing the digital image signal into blocks, and subjecting eachof the blocks to orthogonal transform, wherein the digital image signaloutputted by the particular apparatus, map information representing theposition where the digital information is embedded, and informationrepresenting a transform value to be embedded are inputted, comprisingthe steps of dividing the digital image signal into a plurality of blocksignals of a previously determined size, and subjecting, for each of theblock signals, the block signal to orthogonal transform, to calculatetransform coefficients, extracting, on the basis of the map information,the transform coefficient corresponding to the position where atrue/false value of the map information is true, calculating an absoluteerror between the extracted transform coefficient and the transformvalue, and judging the absolute error, to extract the embedded digitalinformation on the basis of the results of the judgment.

As described in the foregoing, according to the sixty-sixth aspect, thelogical value of the embedded digital information is judged by theresults of extracting, even with respect to a particular digital imagesignal which has already been subjected to frequency transformation, thetransform coefficient which has been embedded in a deep hierarchicalsignal which is not affected by data destruction in high frequency bandsand calculating and judging the absolute error between the transformcoefficient and the transform value using a previously determinedmethod. Consequently, accurate digital information can be extractedwithout being affected by an attack from an unauthorized user.

A sixty-seventh aspect is directed to a recording medium having aprogram executed in a computer recorded thereon, the program realizingon the computer an operational environment comprising the steps ofdividing a digital image signal into transform coefficients over aplurality of frequency bands using either discrete wavelet transform orsub-band division, dividing the lowest frequency band out of theplurality of frequency bands obtained by the division into a pluralityof blocks in accordance with a previously determined block size,calculating for each of the blocks a mean value M of the transformcoefficients in the block, and subjecting the mean value M to linearquantization using a previously determined quantization step-size Q (Qis an integer of not less than one), to calculate a quantization value,replacing for each of the blocks, on the basis of the quantization valueand the value of the digital information to be embedded which correspondto the block, the quantization value, subjecting for each of the blocksthe replaced quantization value to inverse linear quantization using thequantization step-size Q to calculate a mean value M′, and adding adifference DM (=M′−M) between the mean value M′ and the mean value M toall the transform coefficients in the block, calculating a mean value LMof the transform coefficients in the lowest frequency band after theaddition of the difference DM, and reconstructing a digital image signalin which the digital information has been embedded using the lowestfrequency band after the addition of the difference DM and the otherfrequency bands.

A sixty-eighth aspect is directed to a recording medium having a programexecuted in a computer recorded thereon, the program realizing on thecomputer an operational environment comprising the steps of dividing adigital image signal into a plurality of blocks each composed of aplurality of pixels previously determined, and subjecting, for each ofthe blocks, the block to orthogonal transform, to calculate transformcoefficients, further classifying the plurality of blocks obtained bythe division into groups each comprising one or two or more blocks inaccordance with a previously determined number of blocks, extracting,for each of the blocks belonging to each of the groups, the transformcoefficient having the lowest frequency component (hereinafter referredto as a DC component) out of the transform coefficients in the block andcalculating a mean value M of the respective DC components in theblocks, and subjecting the mean value M to linear quantization using apreviously determined quantization step-size Q (Q is an integer of notless than one), to calculate a quantization value, replacing for each ofthe groups, on the basis of the quantization value and the value of thedigital information to be embedded which correspond to the group, thequantization value, subjecting for each of the groups the replacedquantization value to inverse linear quantization using the quantizationstep-size Q to calculate a mean value M′, and adding a difference DM(=M′−M) between the mean value M′ and the mean value M to all the DCcomponents in the blocks belonging to the group; subjecting theplurality of blocks after the addition of the difference DM to inverseorthogonal transform, to reconstruct a digital image signal in which thedigital information has been embedded, and calculating a mean value LMof the amplitude values of the pixels in the reconstructed digital imagesignal.

A sixty-ninth aspect is characterized in that in the sixty-eighthaspect, the step of respectively calculating the transform coefficientsperforms signal transformation which is any one of discrete cosinetransform, Fourier transform and Hadamard transform.

A seventieth aspect is directed to a recording medium having a programexecuted in a computer recorded thereon, the program realizing on thecomputer an operational environment comprising the steps of dividing adigital image signal into a plurality of blocks each composed of aplurality of pixels previously determined, calculating for each of theblocks a mean value M of the pixels composing the block, and subjectingthe mean value M to linear quantization using a previously determinedquantization step-size Q (Q is an integer of not less than one), tocalculate a quantization value, replacing for each of the blocks, on thebasis of the quantization value and the value of the digital informationto be embedded which correspond to the block, the quantization value,subjecting for each of the blocks the replaced quantization value toinverse linear quantization using the quantization step-size Q tocalculate a mean value M′, and adding a difference DM (=M′−M) betweenthe mean value M′ and the mean value M to all the pixels composing theblock, and calculating a mean value LM of the amplitude values of thepixels in the digital image signal after the addition of the differenceDM.

A seventy-first aspect is characterized in that the step of replacingthe quantization value of the sixty-seventh aspect replaces thequantization value with an odd value closest to the value of (M/Q) wheneach of bits composing the digital information takes a logical value 1,while replacing the quantization value with an even value closest to thevalue of (M/Q) when the bit takes a logical value 0.

A seventy-second aspect is characterized in that in the sixty-eighthaspect, the step of replacing the quantization value replaces thequantization value with an odd value closest to the value of (M/Q) wheneach of bits composing the digital information takes a logical value 1,while replacing the quantization value with an even value closest to thevalue of (M/Q) when the bit takes a logical value 0.

A seventy-third aspect is characterized in that in the sixty-ninthaspect, the step of replacing the quantization value replaces thequantization value with an odd value closest to the value of (M/Q) wheneach of bits composing the digital information takes a logical value 1,while replacing the quantization value with an even value closest to thevalue of (M/Q) when the bit takes a logical value 0.

A seventy-fourth aspect is characterized in that in the seventiethaspect, the step of replacing the quantization value replaces thequantization value with an odd value closest to the value of (M/Q) wheneach of bits composing the digital information takes a logical value 1,while replacing the quantization value with an even value closest to thevalue of (M/Q) when the bit takes a logical value 0.

A seventy-fifth aspect is directed to a recording medium having aprogram executed in a computer recorded thereon, the program realizingon the computer an operational environment comprising, with respect to adigital image signal having inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in transform coefficients in the lowest frequencyband obtained by dividing the digital image signal using either discretewavelet transform or sub-band division, with using a quantizationstep-size outputted by the particular apparatus, the steps of dividingthe digital image signal into transform coefficients over a plurality offrequency bands using either discrete wavelet transform or sub-banddivision, dividing the lowest frequency band out of the plurality offrequency bands obtained by the division into a plurality of blocks inaccordance with a previously determined block size, calculating for eachof the blocks a mean value M of the transform coefficients in the block,and subjecting the mean value M to linear quantization using thepreviously determined quantization step-size, to calculate aquantization value, and judging whether the quantization value is evenor odd, to extract the embedded digital information on the basis of theresults of the judgment.

A seventy-sixth aspect is directed to a recording medium having aprogram executed in a computer recorded thereon, the program realizingon the computer an operational environment comprising, with respect to adigital image signal having inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in transform coefficients in the lowest frequencyband obtained by dividing the digital image signal using either discretewavelet transform or sub-band division, and with a quantizationstep-size outputted by the particular apparatus and a mean value LM ofthe transform coefficients in the lowest frequency band at the time ofoutput, the steps of dividing the digital image signal into transformcoefficients over a plurality of frequency bands using either discretewavelet transform or sub-band division, calculating a mean value LM′ ofthe transform coefficients in the lowest frequency band out of theplurality of frequency bands obtained by the division, and subtracting adifference DM (=LM′−LM) between the mean value LM′ and the mean value LMfrom all the transform coefficients in the lowest frequency band,dividing the lowest frequency band after the subtraction of thedifference DL into a plurality of blocks in accordance with a previouslydetermined block size, calculating for each of the blocks a mean value Mof the transform coefficients in the block, and subjecting the meanvalue M to linear quantization using the quantization step-size Q, tocalculate a quantization value, and judging whether the quantizationvalue is even or odd, to extract the embedded digital information on thebasis of the results of the judgment.

A seventy-seventh aspect is directed to a recording medium having aprogram executed in a computer recorded thereon, the program realizingon the computer an operational environment comprising, with respect to adigital image signal having inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in transform coefficients obtained by subjectingthe digital image signal to frequency transformation which is any one ofdiscrete cosine transform, Fourier transform and Hadamard transform,then dividing the digital image signal into blocks, and subjecting eachof the blocks to orthogonal transform, and with using a quantizationstep-size outputted by the particular apparatus, the steps of dividingthe digital image signal into a plurality of blocks each composed of aplurality of pixels previously determined, and subjecting, for each ofthe blocks, the block to orthogonal transform, to calculate transformcoefficients, further classifying the plurality of blocks obtained bythe division into groups each comprising one or two or more blocks inaccordance with a previously determined number of blocks, calculatingfor each of the groups a mean value of the respective transformcoefficients having the lowest frequency components in the blocksbelonging to the group, and subjecting the mean value to linearquantization using the previously determined quantization step-size, tocalculate a quantization value, and judging whether the quantizationvalue is even or odd, to extract the embedded digital information on thebasis of the results of the judgment.

A seventy-eighth aspect is directed to a recording medium having aprogram executed in a computer recorded thereon, the program realizingon the computer an operational environment comprising, with respect to adigital image signal having inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in transform coefficients obtained by subjectingthe digital image signal to signal transformation which is any one ofdiscrete cosine transform, Fourier transform and Hadamard transform,then dividing the digital image signal into blocks, and subjecting eachof the blocks to orthogonal transform, with using a quantizationstep-size outputted by the particular apparatus and a mean value LM ofthe amplitude values of pixels in the digital image signal at the timeof output, the steps of calculating a mean value LM′ of the amplitudevalues of the pixels in the digital image signal at the time of input,and subtracting a difference DM (=LM′−LM) between the mean value LM′ andthe mean value LM from the values of all the pixels in the digital imagesignal, dividing the digital image signal after the subtraction of thedifference DL into a plurality of blocks each composed of a plurality ofpixels previously determined, and subjecting, for each of the blocks,the block to orthogonal transform, to calculate transform coefficients,further classifying the plurality of blocks obtained by the divisioninto groups each comprising one or two or more blocks in accordance witha previously determined number of blocks, calculating for each of thegroups a mean value of the respective transform coefficients having thelowest frequency components in the blocks belonging to the group, andsubjecting the mean value to linear quantization using the previouslydetermined quantization step-size, to calculate a quantization value,and judging whether the quantization value is even or odd, to extractthe embedded digital information on the basis of the results of thejudgment.

A seventy-ninth aspect is directed to a recording medium having aprogram executed in a computer recorded thereon, the program realizingon the computer an operational environment comprising, with respect to adigital image signal having inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in a mean value of pixels composing each of blocksobtained by dividing the digital image signal, with using a quantizationstep-size outputted by the particular apparatus, the steps of dividingthe digital image signal into a plurality of blocks each composed of aplurality of pixels previously determined, calculating for each of theblocks a mean value of the pixels composing the block, and subjectingthe mean value to linear quantization using the quantization step-size,to calculate a quantization value, and judging whether the quantizationvalue is even or odd, to extract the embedded digital information on thebasis of the results of the judgment.

An eightieth aspect is directed to a recording medium having a programexecuted in a computer recorded thereon, the program realizing on thecomputer an operational environment comprising, with respect to adigital image signal having inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in a mean value of pixels composing each of blocksobtained by dividing the digital image signal, with using a quantizationstep-size and a mean value LM of the amplitude values of the pixels inthe digital image signal at the time of output, the steps of calculatinga mean value LM′ of the amplitude values of the pixels in the digitalimage signal at the time of input, and subtracting a difference DL(=LM′−LM) between the mean value LM′ and the mean value LM from thevalues of all the pixels in the digital image signal, dividing thedigital image signal after the subtraction of the difference DL into aplurality of blocks each composed of a plurality of pixels previouslydetermined, calculating a mean value of the pixels composing each of theblocks obtained by the division, and subjecting the mean value to linearquantization using the quantization step-size, to calculate aquantization value, and judging whether the quantization value is evenor odd, to extract the embedded digital information on the basis of theresults of the judgment.

An eighty-first aspect is directed to a recording medium having aprogram executed in a computer recorded thereon, the program realizingon the computer an operational environment comprising the steps ofdividing a digital image signal into a plurality of frequency bands toobtain transform coefficients using either discrete wavelet transform orsub-band division, generating, with respect to each of the transformcoefficients included in the one or two frequency bands out of theplurality of frequency bands obtained by the division, map informationstoring a true/false value based on decision whether or not all theabsolute amplitude values of the transform coefficient and the othertransform coefficients in the same space representation region in thesame direction of division as the one or two frequency bands are notmore than a previously determined set value, replacing all of thetransform coefficient and the other transform coefficients whichcorrespond to the position where the true/false value of the mapinformation is true with a previously determined transform value on thebasis of the value of the digital information to be embedded in thetransform coefficients, and synthesizing the plurality of transformcoefficients after the replacement, to reconstruct a digital imagesignal.

An eighty-second aspect is characterized in that in the eighty-firstaspect, the transform value is set to integers±K which are not more thanthe set value, and the replacing step replaces the transform coefficientand the other transform coefficients with the transform value+K wheneach of bits composing the digital information takes a logical value 1,while replacing the transform coefficients with the transform value−Kwhen the bit takes a logical value 0.

An eighty-third aspect is characterized in that in the eighty-firstaspect, the generating step generates the map information with respectto the transform coefficients included in at least one or both of thefrequency band which is low in its horizontal component and is high inits vertical component and the frequency band which is high in itshorizontal component and is low in its vertical component.

An eighty-fourth aspect is characterized in that in the eighty-secondaspect, the generating step generates the map information with respectto the transform coefficients included in at least one or both of thefrequency band which is low in its horizontal component and is high inits vertical component and the frequency band which is high in itshorizontal component and is low in its vertical component.

An eighty-fifth aspect is directed to a recording medium having aprogram executed in a computer recorded thereon, the program realizingon the computer an operational environment comprising the steps ofdividing a digital image signal into transform coefficients over aplurality of frequency bands using either discrete wavelet transform orsub-band division, generating, with respect to each of the transformcoefficients included in the one or two frequency bands out of theplurality of frequency bands obtained by the division, map informationstoring a true/false value based on decision whether or not the absoluteamplitude value of the transform coefficient is included betweenupper-limit and lower-limit threshold values which are previouslydetermined, replacing the transform coefficient corresponding to theposition where the true/false value of the map information is true witha previously determined transform value on the basis of the sign of thetransform coefficient and the value of the digital information to beembedded in the transform coefficient, and synthesizing the plurality oftransform coefficients after the replacement, to reconstruct a digitalimage signal.

An eighty-sixth aspect is directed to a recording medium having aprogram executed in a computer recorded thereon, the program realizingon the computer an operational environment comprising the steps ofdividing a digital image signal into a plurality of block signals of apreviously determined size, and subjecting, for each of the blocksignals, the block signal to orthogonal transform, to calculatetransform coefficients, generating, with respect to each of thetransform coefficients included in the one or two block signals out ofthe plurality of block signals obtained by the division, map informationstoring a true/false value based on decision whether or not the absoluteamplitude value of the transform coefficient is included betweenupper-limit and lower-limit threshold values which are previouslydetermined, replacing the transform coefficient corresponding to theposition where the true/false value of the map information is true witha previously determined transform value on the basis of the sign of thetransform coefficient and the value of the digital information to beembedded in the transform coefficient, and subjecting the plurality oftransform coefficients after the replacement to inverse orthogonaltransform, to reconstruct a digital image signal.

An eighty-seventh aspect is characterized in that in the eighty-sixthaspect, the calculating step performs frequency transformation which isany one of discrete cosine transform, Fourier transform and Hadamardtransform.

An eighty-eighth aspect is characterized in that in the eighty-fifthaspect, the transform value is set to integers±A and±B between theupper-limit and lower-limit threshold values, and the replacing stepreplaces the transform coefficient with the transform value+A when eachof bits composing the digital information takes a logical value 1 andthe sign of the transform coefficient is positive, with the transformvalue−A when the bit takes a logical value 1 and the sign of thetransform coefficient is negative, with the transform value+B when thebit takes a logical value 0 and the sign of the transform coefficient ispositive, and with the transform value−B when the bit takes a logicalvalue 0 and the sign of the transform coefficient is negative.

An eighty-ninth aspect is characterized in that in the eighty-sixthaspect, the transform value is set to integers±A and±B between theupper-limit and lower-limit threshold values, and the replacing stepreplaces the transform coefficient with the transform value+A when eachof bits composing the digital information takes a logical value 1 andthe sign of the transform coefficient is positive, with the transformvalue−A when the bit takes a logical value 1 and the sign of thetransform coefficient is negative, with the transform value+B when thebit takes a logical value 0 and the sign of the transform coefficient ispositive, and with the transform value−B when the bit takes a logicalvalue 0 and the sign of the transform coefficient is negative.

A ninetieth aspect is characterized in that in the eighty-seventhaspect, the transform value is set to integers±A and±B between theupper-limit and lower-limit threshold values, and the replacing stepreplaces the transform coefficient with the transform value+A when eachof bits composing the digital information takes a logical value 1 andthe sign of the transform coefficient is positive, with the transformvalue−A when the bit takes a logical value 1 and the sign of thetransform coefficient is negative, with the transform value+B when thebit takes a logical value 0 and the sign of the transform coefficient ispositive, and with the transform value−B when the bit takes a logicalvalue 0 and the sign of the transform coefficient is negative.

A ninety-first aspect is characterized in that in the eighty-fifthaspect, the generating step generates the map information with respectto the respective transform coefficients having the low frequencycomponents other than the DC components.

A ninety-second aspect is characterized in that in the eighty-sixthaspect, the generating step generates the map information with respectto the respective transform coefficients having the low frequencycomponents other than the DC components.

A ninety-third aspect is characterized in that in the eighty-seventhaspect, the generating step generates the map information with respectto the respective transform coefficients having the low frequencycomponents other than the DC components.

A ninety-fourth aspect is characterized in that in the eighty-eighthaspect, the generating step generates the map information with respectto the respective transform coefficients having the low frequencycomponents other than the DC components.

A ninety-fifth aspect is characterized in that in the eighty-ninthaspect, the generating step generates the map information with respectto the respective transform coefficients having the low frequencycomponents other than the DC components.

A ninety-sixth aspect is characterized in that in the ninetieth aspect,the generating step generates the map information with respect to therespective transform coefficients having the low frequency componentsother than the DC components.

A ninety-seventh aspect is directed to a recording medium having aprogram executed in a computer, the program realizing on the computer anoperational environment comprising, with respect to a digital imagesignal having inherent digital information embedded by a particularapparatus in transform coefficients obtained by dividing the digitalimage signal using either discrete wavelet transform or sub-banddivision, with using map information outputted by the particularapparatus and representing the position where the digital information isembedded, the steps of dividing the digital image signal into transformcoefficients over a plurality of frequency bands using either discretewavelet transform or sub-band division, extracting, on the basis of themap information, the transform coefficient corresponding to the positionwhere a true/false value of the map information is true and the othertransform coefficients in the same space representation region in thesame direction of division as the frequency band including the transformcoefficient, calculating a total value of the transform coefficientsincluded in the one or two or more frequency bands out of the transformcoefficient and the other transform coefficients which are extracted,and judging the sign of the total value, to extract the embedded digitalinformation on the basis of the results of the judgment.

A ninety-eighth aspect is directed to a recording medium having aprogram executed in a computer recorded thereon, the program realizingon the computer an operational environment comprising, with respect to adigital image signal having inherent digital information embedded by aparticular apparatus in transform coefficients obtained by dividing thedigital image signal using either discrete wavelet transform or sub-banddivision, with using map information outputted by the particularapparatus and representing the position where the digital information isembedded and information representing a transform value to be embedded,the steps of dividing the image signal into transform coefficients overa plurality of frequency bands using either discrete wavelet transformor sub-band division, extracting, on the basis of the map information,the transform coefficient corresponding to the position where atrue/false value of the map information is true, calculating an absoluteerror between the extracted transform coefficient and the transformvalue, and judging the absolute error, to extract the embedded digitalinformation on the basis of the results of the judgment.

A ninety-ninth aspect is directed to a recording medium having a programexecuted in a computer, the program realizing on the computer anoperational environment comprising, with respect to a digital imagesignal having inherent digital information embedded by a particularapparatus in transform coefficients obtained by subjecting the digitalimage signal to frequency transformation which is any one of discretecosine transform, Fourier transform and Hadamard transform, thendividing the digital image signal into blocks, and subjecting each ofthe blocks to orthogonal transform, with using map information outputtedby the particular apparatus and representing the position where thedigital information is embedded and information representing a transformvalue to be embedded, the steps of dividing the digital image signalinto a plurality of block signals of a previously determined size, andsubjecting, for each of the block signals, the block signal toorthogonal transform, to calculate transform coefficients, extracting,on the basis of the map information, the transform coefficientcorresponding to the position where a true/false value of the mapinformation is true, calculating an absolute error between the extractedtransform coefficient and the transform value, and judging the absoluteerror, to extract the embedded digital information on the basis of theresults of the judgment.

As described in the foregoing, the sixty-seventh to ninety-ninth aspectsare directed to the recording mediums respectively having programs forcarrying out digital information embedding and extracting methods in theforegoing forty-fifth to sixty-sixth aspects. This corresponds to thesupply of the digital information embedding and extracting methods inthe forty-fifth to sixty-sixth aspects to the existing apparatus in theform of software.

The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of thepresent invention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of the present invention when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation embedding apparatus 1 a according to a first embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing processing performed in a block divisionportion 12, a quantization portion 13, a signal replacement portion 14,and a mean difference addition portion 15 shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of blocks obtained by dividing anLL3 signal.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of processing performed in thesignal replacement portion 14 shown in FIG. 1

FIGS. 5(a) to 5(c) are diagrams showing an example of processingperformed in the mean difference addition portion 15 shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the structure of a bandsynthesis portion 17 shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the structure of a firstband synthesizing filter shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation extracting apparatus 1 b according to a second embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing processing performed in a mean differencesubtraction portion 21, a block division portion 12, a quantizationportion 13, and a digital information judgment portion 22 shown in FIG.8.

FIGS. 10(a) to 10(c) are diagrams showing an example in which digitalinformation is extracted from the x-th block.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation embedding apparatus 2 a according to a third embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIGS. 12(a) to 12(c) are diagrams showing an example of processingperformed in an orthogonal transform portion 31 shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of processing performed in ablock selection portion 32 shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing processing performed in the blockselection portion 32, a quantization portion 33, a signal replacementportion 14, and a mean difference addition portion 35 shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation extracting apparatus 2 b according to a fourth embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing processing performed in the digitalinformation extracting apparatus 2 b shown in FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation embedding apparatus 3 a according to a fifth embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation extracting apparatus 3 b according to a sixth embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation embedding apparatus 4 a according to a seventh embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 20 is a flow chart showing processing performed in a mapinformation generation portion 52 shown in FIG. 19.

FIGS. 21(a) to 21(b) are diagrams for explaining the generation of mapinformation in the map information generation portion 52

FIG. 22 is a flow chart showing processing performed in a signalreplacement portion 53 shown in FIG. 19.

FIG. 23 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation extracting apparatus 4 b according to an eighth embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 24 is a flow chart showing processing performed in a mapinformation analysis portion 54, a coefficient calculation portion 55,and a digital information judgment portion 56 shown in FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation embedding apparatus 5 a according to a ninth embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 26 is a flow chart showing processing performed in a mapinformation generation portion 61 shown in FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 is a diagram showing the contents of transformation designatedby a signal transform portion 62 shown in FIG. 25.

FIG. 28 is a flow chart showing processing performed in a signalreplacement portion 63 shown in FIG. 25.

FIG. 29 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation extracting apparatus 5 b according to a tenth embodiment ofthe present invention

FIG. 30 is a flow chart showing processing performed in a mapinformation analysis portion 64, an error calculation portion 65, and adigital information judgment portion 66 shown in FIG. 29.

FIG. 31 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation embedding apparatus 6 a according to an eleventh embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 32 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation extracting apparatus 6 b according to a twelfth embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 33 is a block diagram showing an example of the structure of aconventional band dividing device 11.

FIG. 34 is a block diagram showing an example of the structure of afirst band dividing filter 100 shown in FIG. 33.

FIG. 35 is a diagram showing representation of signals which have beensubjected to discrete wavelet transform by the band dividing device 11shown in FIG. 33 by a two-dimensional frequency region.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(First Embodiment)

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation embedding apparatus according to a first embodiment of thepresent invention. In FIG. 1, the digital information embeddingapparatus 1 a comprises a band division portion 11, a block divisionportion 12, a quantization portion 13, a signal replacement portion 14,a mean difference addition portion 15, a mean calculation portion 16,and a band synthesis portion 17.

The band division portion 11 in the digital information embeddingapparatus 1 a according to the first embodiment has the same structureas the band dividing device 11 described in the above-mentioned priorart, and is assigned the same reference numeral and hence, thedescription thereof is not repeated.

The band division portion 11 receives a digitized image signal 71, anddivides the image signal 71 into 10 frequency bands, i.e., an LL3signal, LHi signals, HLi signals and HHi signals (i=1 to 3, the same istrue for the following) by discrete wavelet transform, to calculaterespective transform coefficients. The block division portion 12 dividesthe lowest frequency band signal (the LL3 signal) obtained by thedivision in the band division portion 11 into a plurality of blocks inaccordance with a previously determined block size. The quantizationportion 13 finds, for each of the plurality blocks obtained by thedivision in the block division portion 12, a mean value M of thetransform coefficients in the block. The quantization portion 13subjects the found mean value M to linear quantization using apreviously determined quantization step-size Q, to calculate aquantization value q. The signal replacement portion 14 replaces thequantization value q found in the quantization portion 13 with a value(q+1) or a value (q−1) on the basis of the value of digital informationto be embedded in the block. The mean difference addition portion 15subjects the quantization values (q±1) obtained by the replacement inthe signal replacement portion 14 to inverse linear quantization usingthe quantization step-size Q, to respectively find mean values M′. Themean difference addition portion 15 calculates for each of the blocks adifference DM between the found mean value M′ and the above-mentionedmean value M (DM=M′−M), and respectively adds the difference DM to allthe transform coefficients in the block. The mean calculation portion 16calculates a mean value LM of all the transform coefficients in the LL3signal which has been subjected to the addition processing in the meandifference addition portion 15. The band synthesis portion 17synthesizes the LL3 signal which has been subjected to the embeddingprocessing and a plurality of other frequency band signals, toreconstruct an image signal 72

Referring now to FIGS. 2 to 7, a digital information embedding methodcarried out by the digital information embedding apparatus 1 a will bedescribed while taking specific examples.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing processing performed in the blockdivision portion 12, the quantization portion 13, the signal replacementportion 14, and the mean difference addition portion 15. FIG. 3 is adiagram showing an example of blocks obtained by dividing the LL3signal. FIG. 3 illustrates, in a case where the LL3 signal is dividedinto blocks of a 2×2 size, four transform coefficients in the x-thblock. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of processing performed inthe signal replacement portion 14. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing anexample of processing performed in the mean difference addition portion15. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the structure of theband synthesis portion 17. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an exampleof the structure of a first band synthesizing filter.

In the following description, digital information to be embedded in animage shall be a bit stream obtained by binary-coding the name of acopyright owner, the date for generation, and so forth.

Referring to FIG. 2, the block division portion 12 first divides the LL3signal outputted by the band division portion 11 into the first to N-th(N is an integer which is not less than two; the same is true for thefollowing) blocks in accordance with a previously determined block size(step S201). The number of blocks N obtained by the division may be notless than the number of logical values, of the digital information, tobe embedded.

The size of the block may be an arbitrary size other than the 2×2 sizeillustrated in FIG. 3. The shape of the block need not be a square suchas a regular square or a rectangle, and may be another shape (forexample, a triangle or a rhombus).

The quantization portion 13 then calculates a mean value Mn of transformcoefficients in the n-th (n=1 to N, the same is true for the following)block (step S202).

In the foregoing step S201, when the size of the block obtained by thedivision is set to a 1×1 size, processing for calculating a mean valueneed not be performed.

For example, in FIG. 3, a mean value Mx in the x-th block is as follows:

Mx=(23+29+27+45)/4=31

Referring to FIG. 2 again, the quantization portion 13 further subjectsthe mean value Mn to linear quantization using the previously determinedquantization step-size Q (Q is an integer of not less than one), tocalculate a quantization value qn (step S203). The linear quantizationmeans rounding a certain numerical value to a whole number by roundingup or down figures after its decimal point in accordance with around-off rule (a function int(m) shall represent linear quantization ofm). The quantization step-size Q is the spacing between a transformvalue in a case where digital information to be embedded takes a logicalvalue “1” and a transform value in a case where it takes a logical value“0”, or the amount of replacement. When the quantization step-size Q isdecreased, therefore, the quality of the image in which the digitalinformation is to be embedded is hardly degraded, while the attackresistance of the digital information to be embedded is decreased. Whenthe quantization step-size Q is increased, the attack resistance of thedigital information is increased, while the quality of the image issignificantly degraded because the amount of replacement is increased.Consequently, the quantization step-size Q is not uniquely determinedbut can be arbitrarily set by a target and object image signal. In thedescription of the first embodiment, the quantization step-size Q istaken as 10.

For example, in FIG. 3, the quantization value qx in the x-th block isas follows because the mean value Mx is 31 as described above:

qx=int(Mx/Q)=int(31/10)=3

Referring to FIG. 2 again, the signal replacement portion 14 extractsthe logical value (“1” or “0”), of the digital information, to beembedded in the n-th block (step S204). Thereafter, the signalreplacement portion 14 judges whether the quantization value qn is evenor odd (step S205). When the quantization value qn is even in thejudgment at the step S205, the signal replacement portion 14 furtherjudges whether the logical value to be embedded, which is extracted atthe foregoing step S204, is “1” (step S206). When the logical value tobe embedded is “1” in the judgment at the step S206, the signalreplacement portion 14 takes an odd number closest to the value of Mn/Q(either qn+1 or qn−1) as a quantization value qn′ (that is, thequantization value qn is replaced with qn′) (step S208). Contrary tothis, when the logical value to be embedded is “0” in the judgment atthe step S206, the signal replacement portion 14 takes the quantizationvalue qn as a quantization value qn′ (step S210).

On the other hand, when the quantization value qn is not even (that is,odd) in the judgment at the step S205, the signal replacement portion 14further judges whether the logical value to be embedded is “0” (stepS207). When the logical value to be embedded is “0” in the judgment atthe step S207, the signal replacement portion 14 takes an even numberclosest to the value of Mn/Q (either qn+1 or qn−1) as a quantizationvalue qn′ (step S209). Contrary to this, when the logical value to beembedded is “1” in the judgment at the step S207, the signal replacementportion 14 takes the quantization value qn as a quantization value qn′(step S210).

For example, referring to FIG. 4, the quantization value qx in the x-thblock shown in FIG. 3 is “3” (an odd number) as described above, andMx/Q=3.1. By following the steps S205 to S210, therefore, when thelogical value “1” of the digital information is embedded in the x-thblock, the quantization value qx is odd, so that the value of qx=3 istaken as a quantization value qx′=3. Contrary to this, when the logicalvalue “0” of the digital information is embedded in the x-th block, aneven number closest to the value of M/xQ=3.1, i.e., “4” is taken as aquantization value qx′ (qx′=qx+1).

Referring to FIG. 2 again, the mean difference addition portion 15performs inverse linear quantization using the quantization value qn′which is found at any one of the foregoing steps S208 to S210 and thequantization step-size Q, to calculate a mean value Mn′ (=qn′*Q) (stepS211). The mean difference addition portion 15 finds a difference DMnbetween the calculated mean value Mn′ and the mean value Mn found at theforegoing step S202 (DMn=Mn′−Mn) (step S212). Further, the meandifference addition portion 15 adds the difference DMn to all thetransform coefficients in the n-th block (step S213).

For example, referring to FIG. 5, when the logical value “0” of thedigital information is embedded in the x-th block, the quantizationvalue qx′ is four, as described above, so that a mean value Mx′ afterthe inverse linear quantization is as follows:

Mx′=qx′* Q=4*10=40

A difference DMx from the mean value Mx is as follows:

DMx=Mx′−Mx=40−31=+9

The difference DMx is added to each of the transform coefficients in thex-th block, to create a transform coefficient after digital informationembedding processing (FIG. 5(b)).

On the other hand, when the logical value “1” of the digital informationis embedded in the x-th block, the quantization value qx′ is three, asdescribed above, so that a mean value Mx′ after the inverse linearquantization is as follows:

Mx′=qx′*Q=3*10=30

A difference DMx from the mean value Mx is as follows:

DMx=Mx′−Mx=30−31=−1

The difference DMx is added to each of the transform coefficients in thex-th block (in this case, is subtracted as a consequence), to create atransform coefficient after digital information embedding processing(FIG. 5(c)).

The quantization portion 13, the signal replacement portion 14, and themean difference addition portion 15 judge, in order to perform theabove-mentioned digital information embedding processing (the foregoingsteps S202 to S213) with respect to all the first to N-th blocks,whether all the blocks have been processed (step S214). When thereexists a block which has not been processed yet, the program is returnedto the foregoing step S202, to repeatedly perform the same processing.

Thereafter, the mean calculation portion 16 calculates a mean value LMof all the transform coefficients in the LL3 signal. The mean value LMwill be a correction value for extracting, in extracting the embeddeddigital information as described later when the image signal is changedby an exterior attack, the digital information more reliably.

When the change of the image signal (particularly the LL3 signal) neednot be considered because there is no attack from the exterior, it ispossible to omit the structure of the mean calculation portion 16 forcalculating the mean value LM of the transform coefficients in the LL3signal.

When the number of bits composing the digital information is smallerthan the number of blocks obtained by the division, methods such as amethod of embedding all bits composing the digital information, and thencontinuously embedding the bits, starting with the first bit, and amethod of embedding a bit “0 (or 1)” in all the remaining blocks may beused.

Description is now made of processing performed by the band synthesisportion 17. In short, the band synthesis portion 17 performs processingreverse to the processing performed by the band division portion 11.

Referring to FIG. 6, the band synthesis portion 17 comprises first tothird band synthesizing filters 400, 500 and 600 having the samestructure. Each of the first to third band synthesizing filters 400, 500and 600 receives four frequency band signals, and synthesizes thesignals, to output one signal.

The first band synthesizing filter 400 receives the LL3 signal in whichthe digital information has been embedded, and an LH3 signal, an HL3signal and an HH3 signal, and synthesizes the signals, to generate anLL2 signal. The second band synthesizing filter 500 receives the LL2signal obtained by the synthesis, and an LH2 signal, an HL2 signal andan HH2 signal, and synthesizes the signals, to generate an LL1 signal.The third band synthesizing filter 600 receives the LL1 signal obtainedby the synthesis, and an LH1 signal, an HL1 signal and an HH1 signal,and synthesizes the signals, to generate an image signal 72.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the structure of thefirst band synthesizing filter 400. In FIG. 7, the first bandsynthesizing filter 400 comprises first to third two-band synthesisportions 401 to 403. The first to third two-band synthesis portions 401to 403 respectively comprise LPFs 411 to 413, HPFs421 to 423,up-samplers 431 to 433 and 441 to 443 for inserting zero into a signalat a ratio of 2:1, and adders 451 to 453.

The first two-band synthesis portion 401 receives the LL3 signal and theLH3 signal, and transforms the signals, respectively, into signals whichare twice their original sizes using the up-samplers 431 and 441,filters the two signals obtained by the transformation with respect totheir vertical components by the LPF 411 and the HPF 421, and then addsthe signals by the adder 451, to output the result of the addition. Onthe other hand, the second two-band synthesis portion 402 receives theHL3 signal and the HH3 signal, and transforms the signals, respectively,into signals which are twice their original sizes using the up-samplers432 and 442, filters the two signals obtained by the transformation withrespect to their vertical components by the LPF 412 and HPF 422, andthen adds the signals by the adder 452, to output the result of theaddition. The third two-band synthesis portion 403 receives outputs ofthe adders 451 and 452, and transforms the outputs, respectively, intosignals which are twice their original sizes using the up-samplers 433and 443, filters the two signals obtained by the transformation withrespect to their horizontal components by the LPF 413 and the HPF 423,and then adds the signals by the adder 453, to output the result of theaddition.

Consequently, the LL2 signal which is low in both its horizontal andvertical components, which is a second hierarchical signal, is outputtedfrom the first band synthesizing filter 400.

The second and third band synthesizing filters 500 and 600 alsorespectively perform the same processing as described above with respectto signals inputted thereto.

The band synthesis portion 17 reconstructs the 10 frequency bandsignals, i.e., the LL3 signal, the LHi signals, the HLi signals, and theHHi signals as the image signal 72 which has been subjected to theembedding processing, as described above, to output the image signal 72,together with the quantization step-size Q and the mean value LM.

As described in the foregoing, the digital information embeddingapparatus 1 a according to the first embodiment embeds the digitalinformation only in the transform coefficients in the lowest frequencyband (the LL3 signal). Consequently, it is possible to prevent theembedded digital information from being lost against an attack forunauthorized utilization from a third person.

Furthermore, the digital information embedding apparatus 1 a accordingto the first embodiment replaces the quantization value qn with eitherone of an odd value and an even value which are closest to the value ofMn/Q on the basis of the logical value of the digital information.Consequently, it is possible to reduce the effect on the degradation ofthe image at the time of extracting the embedded digital information,and it is difficult for the third person to detect the embedded digitalinformation.

Discrete wavelet transform performed in the digital informationembedding apparatus 1 a according to the first embodiment is not limitedto three hierarchies. It can be performed even many times until the LLsignal reaches a 1×1 element.

Furthermore, the processing for replacing the quantization value qn inthe signal replacement portion 14 may be replacement of the quantizationvalue with an odd quantization value closest to the value of Mn/Q whenthe logical value, of the digital information, to be embedded is “0” andan even quantization value closest to the value of Mn/Q when the logicalvalue is “1”.

(Second Embodiment)

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation extracting apparatus according to a second embodiment of thepresent invention. The digital information extracting apparatus 1 baccording to the second embodiment is an apparatus for extracting thedigital information embedded by the digital information embeddingapparatus 1 a according to the first embodiment. In FIG. 8, the digitalinformation extracting apparatus 1 b comprises a band division portion11, a mean difference subtraction portion 21, a block division portion12, a quantization portion 13, and a digital information judgmentportion 22.

The band division portion 11, the block division portion 12 and thequantization portion 13 in the digital information extracting apparatus1 b according to the second embodiment respectively have the samestructures as the band division portion 11, the block division portion12 and the quantization portion 13 in the digital information embeddingapparatus 1 a according to the first embodiment, and are assigned thesame reference numerals and hence, the description thereof is notrepeated.

The band division portion 11 receives an image signal 81. The imagesignal 81 includes, in addition to the image signal 72 outputted by theband synthesis portion 17 in the digital information embedding apparatus1 a according to the first embodiment, the quantization step-size Q usedfor linear quantization in the quantization portion 13 in the digitalinformation embedding apparatus 1 a, and the mean value LM of thetransform coefficients in the LL3 signal which has been calculated inthe mean calculation portion 16 in the digital information embeddingapparatus 1 a. The band division portion 11 subjects the inputted imagesignal 81 to discrete wavelet transform, to divide the image signal 81into ten frequency bands, i.e., an LL3 signal, LHi signals, HLi signalsand HHi signals, and calculate respective transform coefficients. Themean difference subtraction portion 21 calculates a mean value LM′ ofall the transform coefficients in the LL3 signal, and finds a differenceDL between the mean value LM′ and the above-mentioned given mean valueLM (DL=LM=−LM). The mean difference subtraction portion 21 subtracts thedifference DL from all the transform coefficients in the LL3 signal. Theblock division portion 12 divides the LL3 signal which has beensubjected to the subtraction processing in the mean differencesubtraction portion 21 into a plurality of blocks in accordance with apreviously determined block size. The quantization portion 13 finds, foreach of the plurality of blocks obtained by the division in the blockdivision portion 12, a mean value M of the transform coefficients in theblock. The quantization portion 13 subjects the found mean value M tolinear quantization using the given quantization step-size Q, tocalculate a quantization value q. The digital information judgmentportion 22 judges whether each of the quantization values q calculatedin the quantization portion 13 is even or odd, to judge the logicalvalue of embedded digital information on the basis of the judgment.

Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10, description is made of a digitalinformation extracting method carried out by the digital informationextracting apparatus 1 b. FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing processingperformed in the mean difference subtraction portion 21, the blockdivision portion 12, the quantization portion 13, and the digitalinformation judgment portion 22. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an examplein which digital information is extracted from the x-th block. FIG.10(a) illustrates transform coefficients in the x-th block in the LL3signal outputted by the digital information embedding apparatus 1 a (seeFIG. 5(b)), and FIG. 10(b) illustrates transform coefficients in thex-th block in the LL3 signal inputted to the digital informationextracting apparatus 1 b. FIG. 10(c) illustrates transform coefficientsin the x-th block which are obtained by correcting the transformcoefficients shown in FIG. 10 (b) by the difference DL.

Referring to FIG. 9, the mean difference subtraction portion 21 firstcalculates a mean value LM′ of the transform coefficients in the LL3signal (step S901). The mean difference subtraction portion 21 finds adifference DL between the calculated mean value LM′ and the given meanvalue LM, to subtract the difference DL from all the transformcoefficients in the LL3 signal (step S902).

For example, in FIG. 10, the mean value of the transform coefficients inthe LL3 signal is changed from LM=50 to LM′=53, so that the differenceDL is as follows:

DL=LM′−LM=53−50=3

In order to subtract the difference DL=3 from each of the transformcoefficients, the transform coefficients in the x-th block are changedfrom values shown in FIG. 10(b) to values shown in FIG. 10(c).

Referring to FIG. 9 again, the block division portion 12 divides the LL3signal which has been subjected to the subtraction processing in themean difference subtraction portion 21 into the first to N-th blocks inaccordance with a previously determined block size (step S903). Thequantization portion 13 calculates for each of the blocks a mean valueMn of the transform coefficients in the block (step S904), and subjectsthe mean value Mn to linear quantization using the given quantizationstep-size Q, to find a quantization value qn (step S905).

For example, in FIG. 10(c), a mean value Mx in the x-th block is asfollows:

Mx=(35+34+40+59)/4=42

Consequently, a quantization value qx in the x-th block is as follows:

qx=int(Mx/Q)=int(42/10)=4

Referring to FIG. 9 again, the digital information judgment portion 22judges whether the quantization value qn calculated at the foregoingstep S905 is even or odd (step S906). When the quantization value qn iseven in the judgment at the step S906, the digital information judgmentportion 22 judges that the digital information embedded in a position,corresponding to the n-th block, of the image signal takes a logicalvalue “0” (step S907). On the other hand, when the quantization value qnis odd in the judgment at the step S906, the digital informationjudgment portion 22 judges that the digital information embedded in theposition, corresponding to the n-th block, of the image signal takes alogical value “1” (step S908).

For example, in FIG. 10(c), the quantization value qx in the x-th blockis “4” (an even number), as described above, so that it is judged thatthe logical value of the embedded digital information is “0”.

The digital information judgment portion 22 judges, in order to performthe above-mentioned digital information extraction processing (theforegoing steps S904 to S908) with respect to all the first to N-thblocks, whether or not all the blocks have been processed (step S909).When there exists the block which has not been processed yet, theprogram is returned to the foregoing step S904, to repeatedly performthe same processing.

The digital information judgment portion 22 thus performs theabove-mentioned digital information extraction processing with respectto all the first to N-th blocks, to respectively extract the logicalvalues embedded in the image signal, and reproduce the digitalinformation as a bit stream.

To make sure, the difference DL is subtracted from each of the transformcoefficients in the LL3 signal for the following reasons.

Referring to FIG. 10, when the difference DL is not subtractedirrespective of the fact that the image signal is changed (change fromthe mean value LM to the mean value LM′) by an attack from the exterior,a block where a mean value Mx is calculated includes the transformcoefficients in the block shown in FIG. 10(b). Consequently, the meanvalue Mx in this case is as follows:

Mx=(38+37+43+62)/4=45

A quantization value qx in the x-th block is odd as follows:

qx=int(Mx/Q)=int(45/10)=5

That is, the logical value, of the digital information, embedded in thex-th block may, in some cases, be erroneously judged to be “1”.

Therefore, the digital information extracting apparatus 1 b according tothe second embodiment performs processing for subtracting the differenceDL from each of the transform coefficients (correction) in order toextract a correct logical value more reliably.

In the digital information extracting apparatus 1 b according to thesecond embodiment can perform, in a case where the transformcoefficients in the inputted LL3 signal hardly vary, the digitalinformation extraction processing without causing any problems even ifthe structure of the mean difference subtraction portion 21 (that is,the processing at the steps S901 and 902 in FIG. 9) is omitted.

As described in the foregoing, the digital information extractingapparatus 1 b according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention judges the logical value of the embedded digital informationby the results of extracting the transform coefficients which have beenembedded in the lowest frequency band which is hardly affected by datadestruction in high frequency bands, and calculating the quantizationvalue of the mean value of the transform coefficients in each of theblocks in the lowest frequency band using a previously determinedmethod. Consequently, accurate digital information can be extractedwithout being affected by an attack from an unauthorized user.

(Third Embodiment)

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation embedding apparatus according to a third embodiment of thepresent invention. In FIG. 11, the digital information embeddingapparatus 2 a comprises an orthogonal transform portion 31, a blockselection portion 32, a quantization portion 33, a signal replacementportion 14, a mean difference addition portion 35, an inverse orthogonaltransform portion 36, and a mean calculation portion 37.

The signal replacement portion 14 in the digital information embeddingapparatus 2 a according to the third embodiment has the same structureas the signal replacement portion 14 in the digital informationembedding apparatus 1 a according to the first embodiment, and isassigned the same reference numeral and hence, the description thereofis not repeated.

The orthogonal transform portion 31 receives a digitized image signal71, and divides the image signal 71 into a plurality of blocks inaccordance with a previously determined block size. The orthogonaltransform portion 31 subjects the signal to orthogonal transform foreach of the plurality of blocks obtained by the division, to calculatetransform coefficients in the block. The block selection portion 32classifies the plurality of blocks obtained by the division in theorthogonal transform portion 31 into groups each comprising one or moreblocks in accordance with a previously determined number of blocks. Thequantization portion 33 finds, for each of the blocks belonging to eachof the groups obtained by the classification in the block selectionportion 32, the transform coefficient having the lowest frequencycomponent (hereinafter referred to as a DC component) in the block andfinds a mean value M of the DC components in the blocks. Thequantization portion 33 subjects the found mean value M to linearquantization using a previously determined quantization step-size Q, tocalculate a quantization value q. The signal replacement portion 14respectively replaces the quantization values q found in thequantization portion 13 with a value (q+1) or a value (q−1) on the basisof the values, of digital information, to be embedded in the blocks. Themean difference addition portion 35 subjects the quantization values(q+1) obtained by the replacement in the signal replacement portion 14to inverse linear quantization using the quantization step-size Q, torespectively find mean values M′. The mean difference addition portion35 calculates for each of the groups a difference DM between the foundmean value M′ and the above-mentioned mean value M (DM=M′−M), andrespectively adds the difference DM to all the DC components in theblocks in the group. The inverse orthogonal transform portion 36subjects the respective blocks including the DC components which havebeen subjected to the addition processing in the mean differenceaddition portion 35 to inverse orthogonal transform, to construct animage signal 73. The mean calculation portion 37 calculates a mean valueLM of the values of all pixels composing the image signal 73reconstructed in the inverse orthogonal transform portion 36, to outputthe mean value LM, together with the image signal 73.

Referring now to FIGS. 12 to 14, description is made of a digitalinformation embedding method carried out by the digital informationembedding apparatus 2 a. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example ofprocessing performed in the orthogonal transform portion 31. FIG. 13 isa diagram showing an example of processing performed in the blockselection portion 32. FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing processingperformed in the block selection portion 32, the quantization portion33, the signal replacement portion 14, and the mean difference additionportion 35.

Referring to FIG. 12, the orthogonal transform portion 31 receives thedigitized image signal 71, and divides the image signal 71 into thefirst to N-th blocks in accordance with a previously determined blocksize (see FIG. 1(a)). The orthogonal transform portion 31 subjects thesignal in each of the first to N-th blocks obtained by the division toorthogonal transform, to calculate transform coefficients of the sameblock size.

FIG. 12 illustrates a case where the image signal 71 is divided into aplurality of blocks each composed of pixels of a 8×8 size, and each ofthe blocks is subjected to orthogonal transform by discrete cosinetransform (DCT) (see FIGS. 12(b) and 12(c)). Out of the transformcoefficients obtained by the orthogonal transform shown in FIG. 12(c),the transform coefficient at the upper left (a portion painted in blockin FIG. 12(c)) is a DC component, which represents a mean value of thevalues of all the pixels composing the block shown in FIG. 12(b).

Referring to FIG. 14, the block selection portion 32 classifies thefirst to N-th blocks obtained by the division in the orthogonaltransform portion 31 into the first to S-th (S is an integer satisfying2≦S≦N; the same is true for the following) groups each comprising one ormore blocks in accordance with a previously determined number of blocks(step S1401). The number of groups S obtained by the classification maybe not less than the number of logical values, of the digitalinformation, to be embedded.

For example, in FIG. 13, the classification is made by taking the fourblocks, i.e., the first block, the second block, the eleventh block andthe twelfth block as one group.

The block size of the group obtained by the classification may be anarbitrary size other than the 2×2 size illustrated in FIG. 13. The shapeof the group need not be a square such as a regular square or arectangle, and may be another shape (for example, a triangle or arhombus). Further, the blocks in the group need not necessarily beadjacent to each other, and the blocks which are not adjacent to eachother may be selected and grouped.

Referring to FIG. 14 again, the quantization portion 33 then extractsonly the respective DC components in the plurality of blocks in the S-th(s=1 to S; the same is true for the following) group, and calculatestheir mean value Ms (step S1402). At the foregoing step S1401, when theblock size of the group obtained by the classification is taken as a 1×1size, processing for calculating a mean value need not be performed.Further, the quantization portion 33 subjects the mean value Ms tolinear quantization using a previously determined quantization step-sizeQ (Q is an integer of not less than one), to calculate a quantizationvalue qs(step S1403). The signal replacement portion 14 extracts thelogical value, of digital information, to be embedded in the s-th group,and finds a quantization value qs′, as described in the first embodiment(steps S1404 to S1410). The mean difference addition portion 35 performsinverse linear quantization using the quantization value qs′ found inany one of the foregoing steps S1408 to S1410 and the quantizationstep-size Q, to calculate a mean value Ms′ (=qs′*Q) (step S1411). Themean difference addition portion 35 finds a difference DMs between thecalculated mean value Ms′ and the mean value Ms found at the foregoingstep S1402 (DMs=Ms′−Ms) (step S1412). Further, the mean differenceaddition portion 35 adds the difference DMs to the respective DCcomponents in all the blocks in the s-th group (step S1413).

The block selection portion 32, the quantization portion 33, the signalreplacement portion 14, and the mean difference addition portion 35judge, in order to subject all the blocks in the first to S-th groups tothe above-mentioned digital information embedding processing (theforegoing steps S1402 to S1413), whether or not all the groups have beenprocessed (step S1414). When there exists the group which has not beenprocessed yet, the program is returned to the foregoing step S1402, torepeatedly perform the same processing.

When the digital information embedding processing is terminated, theinverse orthogonal transform portion 36 subjects the plurality of blocksincluding the respective DC components which have been subjected to theaddition processing in the mean difference addition portion 35 toinverse orthogonal transform, to reconstruct an image signal 73.

Thereafter, the mean calculation portion 37 calculates a mean value LMof the values of all the pixels composing the image signal 73reconstructed in the inverse orthogonal transform portion 36, to outputthe mean value LM, together with the reconstructed image signal 73 andthe above-mentioned quantization step-size Q. The mean value LM has thesame function as that described in the first embodiment.

As described in the foregoing, the digital information embeddingapparatus 2 a according to the third embodiment embeds the digitalinformation into the respective transform coefficients having the lowestfrequency components (DC components). Consequently, it is possible toprevent the embedded digital information from being lost against anattack for unauthorized utilization from a third person.

The digital information embedding apparatus 2 a according to the thirdembodiment replaces the quantization value qs with either one of an oddvalue and an even value which are closest to the value of Ms/Q on thebasis of the logical value of the digital information. Consequently, itis possible to reduce the effect on the degradation of the image at thetime of extracting the embedded digital information, and it is difficultfor the third person to detect the embedded digital information.

The orthogonal transform performed in the orthogonal transform portion31 in the digital information embedding apparatus 2 a according to thethird embodiment is not limited to the above-mentioned discrete cosinetransform. For example, it may be Furrier transform or Hadamardtransform.

In the digital information embedding apparatus 2 a according to thethird embodiment, the mean calculation portion 37 is constructed in astage succeeding the inverse orthogonal transform portion 36, tocalculate the mean value LM of the values of all the pixels composingthe image signal 73. However, the DC component out of the transformcoefficients obtained by the orthogonal transform represents the meanvalue of the values of all the pixels composing the image signal, asdescribed above (see FIG. 12). Consequently, the mean calculationportion 37 may be constructed between the mean difference additionportion 35 and the inverse orthogonal transform portion 36, to calculatea mean value of the respective DC components in the blocks.

(Fourth Embodiment)

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation extracting apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of thepresent invention. The digital information extracting apparatus 2 baccording to the fourth embodiment is an apparatus for extracting thedigital information embedded by the digital information embeddingapparatus 2 a according to the third embodiment. In FIG. 15, the digitalinformation extracting apparatus 2 b comprises a mean differencesubtraction portion 41, an orthogonal transform portion 31, a blockselection portion 32, a quantization portion 33, and a digitalinformation judgment portion 22.

The orthogonal transform portion 31, the block selection portion 32 andthe quantization portion 33 in the digital information extractingapparatus 2 b according to the fourth embodiment have the samestructures as the orthogonal transform portion 31, the block selectionportion 32 and the quantization portion 33 in the digital informationembedding apparatus 2 a according to the third embodiment, and areassigned the same reference numerals and hence, the description thereofis not repeated. The digital information judgment portion 22 has thesame structure as the digital information judgment portion 22 in thedigital information extracting apparatus 1 b according to the secondembodiment, and is also assigned the same reference numeral and hence,the description thereof is not repeated.

The mean difference subtraction portion 41 receives an image signal 82.The image signal 82 includes, in addition to the image signal 73outputted by the inverse orthogonal transform portion 36 in the digitalinformation embedding apparatus 2 a according to the third embodiment,the quantization step-size Q used for linear quantization in thequantization portion 33 in the digital information embedding apparatus 2a, and the mean value LM of the values of all the pixels composing theimage signal 73 which has been calculated in the mean calculationportion 37 in the digital information embedding apparatus 2 a. The meandifference subtraction portion 41 calculates a mean value LM′ of thevalues of all pixels composing the inputted image signal 82, to find adifference DL between the mean value LM′ and the given mean value LM(DL=LM′−LM). The mean difference subtraction portion 41 subtracts thedifference DL from the values of all the pixels composing the imagesignal 82. The orthogonal transform portion 31 divides the image signal82 which has been subjected to the subtraction processing in the meandifference subtraction portion 41 into a plurality of blocks inaccordance with a previously determined block size, and then subjectsthe signal in each of the blocks, to calculate transform coefficients inthe block. The block selection portion 32 classifies the plurality ofblocks obtained by the division in the orthogonal transform portion 31into groups each comprising one or more blocks in accordance with apreviously determined number of blocks. The quantization portion 33finds, for each of the groups obtained by the classification in theblock selection portion 32, a mean value M of respective DC componentsin the blocks in the group. The quantization portion 33 subjects thefound mean value M to linear quantization using the previouslydetermined quantization step-size Q, to calculate a quantization valueq. The digital information judgment portion 22 judges whether each ofthe quantization values q calculated in the quantization portion 33 iseven or odd, to judge the logical value of the embedded digitalinformation on the basis of the judgment.

Referring now to FIG. 16, description is made of a digital informationextracting method carried out by the digital information extractingapparatus 2 b. FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing processing performed bythe digital information extracting apparatus 2 b.

The mean difference subtraction portion 41 calculates a mean value LM′of the values of all the pixels composing the image signal 82 (stepS1601). The mean difference subtraction portion 41 finds a difference DLbetween the calculated mean value LM′ and the given mean value LM, andsubtracts the difference DL from the values of all the pixels composingthe image signal 82 (step S1602). The orthogonal transform portion 31divides the image signal 82 which has been subjected to the subtractionprocessing in the mean difference subtraction portion 41 into the firstto N-th blocks in accordance with a previously determined block size,and then subjects the signal in each of the blocks to orthogonaltransform, to calculate transform coefficients in the block (stepS1603). The block selection portion 32 classifies the first to N-thblocks obtained by the division in the orthogonal transform portion 31into the first to S-th groups each comprising one or more blocks inaccordance with a previously determined number of blocks (step S1604).The quantization portion 33 calculates for each of the groups, a meanvalue Mn of the respective DC components in the blocks included in thegroup (step S1605), and subjects the mean value Mn to linearquantization using the given quantization step-size Q, to find aquantization value qn (step S1606). The digital information judgmentportion 22 performs the judgment processing described in theabove-mentioned second embodiment, to judge all logical values, of thedigital information, embedded in positions, corresponding to the groups,of the image signal (steps S1607 to S1609). The digital informationjudgment portion 22 judges whether all the groups have been processed(step S1610). When there exists the group which has not been processedyet, the program is returned to the foregoing step S1604, to repeatedlyperform the same processing.

The digital information judgment portion 22 thus performs theabove-mentioned digital information extraction processing with respectto all the first to S-th groups, to respectively extract the logicalvalues embedded in the image signal, and reproduce the digitalinformation as a bit stream.

As described in the foregoing, the digital information extractingapparatus 2 b according to the fourth embodiment judges the logicalvalues of the embedded digital information by the results of exactingthe DC component which has been embedded in the lowest frequency bandwhich is hardly affected by data destruction in high frequency bands,and calculating the quantization value of the mean value of the DCcomponents in the plurality of blocks using a previously determinedmethod. Consequently, accurate digital information can be extractedwithout being affected by an attack from an unauthorized user.

The digital information extracting apparatus 2 b according to the fourthembodiment can also perform, in a case where the values of the pixelscomposing the inputted image signal 82 hardly vary, the digitalinformation extracting processing without causing any problems even ifthe structure of the mean difference subtraction portion 41 (that is,the processing at the steps S1601 and S1602) is omitted, similarly tothe above-mentioned digital information extracting apparatus 1 baccording to the second embodiment.

In contrast with the digital information embedding apparatus in whichthe mean calculation portion 37 is constructed between the meandifference addition portion 35 and the inverse orthogonal transformportion 36, as described in the above-mentioned third embodiment, thedigital information extracting apparatus 2 b according the fourthembodiment is so constructed that the mean difference subtractionportion 41 and the orthogonal transform portion 31 are replaced witheach other.

(Fifth Embodiment)

FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation embedding apparatus 3 a according to a fifth embodiment ofthe present invention. In FIG. 17, the digital information embeddingapparatus 3 a comprises a block selection portion 32, a quantizationportion 33, a signal replacement portion 14, a mean difference additionportion 35, and a mean calculation portion 37.

As shown in FIG. 17, the digital information embedding apparatus 3 aaccording the fifth embodiment is constructed so that the orthogonaltransform portion 31 and the inverse orthogonal transform portion 36 inthe above-mentioned digital information embedding apparatus 2 aaccording to the third embodiment are omitted.

The digital information embedding apparatus 3 a according to the fifthembodiment can perform the same embedding processing as that in thethird embodiment even when an image signal 71 is not subjected toorthogonal transform processing.

Processing performed by the digital information embedding apparatus 3 awill be briefly described.

The block selection portion 32 receives a digitized image signal 71, anddivides the image signal 71 into a plurality of blocks in accordancewith a previously determined block size, and then further classifies theblocks obtained by the division into groups each comprising one or moreblocks in accordance with a previously determined number of blocks. Thequantization portion 33 calculates, for each of the groups obtained bythe classification in the block selection portion 32, a mean value M ofthe values of pixels composing each of the blocks in the group. Thequantization portion 33 subjects the found mean value M to linearquantization using a previously determined quantization step-size Q, tocalculate a quantization value qs. The signal replacement portion 14replaces the quantization value q found in the quantization portion 13with a value (q+1) or a value (q−1) on the basis of the values, of thedigital information, to be embedded in the blocks. The mean differenceaddition portion 35 subjects the quantization values (q±1) obtained bythe replacement in the signal replacement portion 14 to inverse linearquantization using the quantization step-size Q, to respectively findmean values Ms′. The mean difference addition portion 35 calculates foreach of the groups a difference DMs between the found mean value Ms′ andthe above-mentioned mean value Ms (DM=M′−M), and adds the difference DMto the values of all the pixels composing the blocks in the group, tooutput an image signal 74 which has been subjected to the embeddingprocessing The mean calculation portion 37 calculates a mean value LM ofthe values of all the pixels composing the image signal 74.

As described in the foregoing, the digital information embeddingapparatus 3 a according to the fifth embodiment can also perform thedigital information embedding processing described in theabove-mentioned third embodiment with respect to the blocks where theinputted image signal is not subjected to discrete cosine transform,Fourier transform or Hadamard transform.

(Sixth Embodiment)

FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation extracting apparatus 3 b according to a sixth embodiment ofthe present invention. In FIG. 18, the digital information extractingapparatus 3 b comprises a mean difference subtraction portion 41, ablock selection portion 32, a quantization portion 33, and a digitalinformation judgement portion 22.

As shown in FIG. 18, the digital information extracting apparatus 3 baccording to the sixth embodiment is so constructed that the orthogonaltransform portion 31 in the above-mentioned digital informationextracting apparatus 2 b according to the fourth embodiment is omitted.

The digital information extracting apparatus 3 b according to the sixthembodiment is an apparatus for extracting the digital informationembedded by the digital information embedding apparatus 3 a according tothe fifth embodiment.

Processing performed by the digital information extracting apparatus 3 bwill be briefly described.

The mean difference subtraction portion 41 receives an image signal 83.The image signal 83 includes, in addition to the image signal 74outputted by the mean difference addition portion 35 in the digitalinformation embedding apparatus 3 a according to the fifth embodiment,the quantization step-size Q used for linear quantization in thequantization portion 33 in the digital information embedding apparatus 3a, and the mean value LM of the values of all the pixels composing theimage signal 74 which is calculated in the mean calculation portion 37in the digital information embedding apparatus 3 a. The mean differencesubtraction portion 41 calculates a mean value LM′ of the values of allpixels composing the inputted image signal 83, to find a difference DLbetween the mean value LM′ and the given mean value LM (DL=LM′−LM). Themean difference subtraction portion 41 subtracts the difference DL fromthe values of all the pixels composing the image signal 83. The blockselection portion 32 classifies the image signal 83 which has beensubjected to the subtraction processing in the mean differencesubtraction portion 41 into a plurality of blocks in accordance with apreviously determined block size, and then classifies the blocks intogroups each comprising one or two or more blocks in accordance with apreviously determined number of blocks. The quantization portion 33finds, for each of the groups obtained by the classification in theblock selection portion 32, a mean value M of the values of the pixelscomposing each of the blocks in the group. The quantization portion 33subjects the found mean value M to linear quantization using apreviously determined quantization step-size Q, to calculate aquantization value q. The digital information judgment portion 22 judgeswhether each of the quantization value qs which are calculated in thequantization portion 33 is even or odd, and judges the logical value ofthe embedded digital information on the basis of the judgment.

By the above-mentioned construction, the digital information extractingapparatus 3 b according to the sixth embodiment can accurately extractthe embedded digital information, as described in the fourth embodiment,even when the digital information embedding processing described in theabove-mentioned third embodiment has been performed with respect to theblock where the inputted image signal is not subjected to discretecosine transform, Fourier transform or Hadamard transform.

(Seventh Embodiment)

FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation embedding apparatus according to a seventh embodiment of thepresent invention. In FIG. 19, the digital information embeddingapparatus 4 a comprises a band division portion 11, a map informationgeneration portion 52, a signal replacement portion 53, and a bandsynthesis portion 17.

The band division portion 11 and the band synthesis portion 17 in thedigital information embedding apparatus 4 a according to the seventhembodiment respectively have the same structures as the band dividingdevice 11 described in the above-mentioned prior art and the bandsynthesis portion 17 in the digital information embedding apparatus 1 aaccording to the first embodiment, and are assigned the same referencenumerals and hence, the description thereof is not repeated.

The band division portion 11 receives a digitized image signal 71, anddivides the image signal 71 into 10 frequency bands, i.e., an LL3signal, LHi signals, HLi signals and HHi signals by discrete wavelettransform, to calculate respective transform coefficients. The mapinformation generation portion 52 generates, with respect to a thirdhierarchical signal (excluding the LL3 signal) obtained by the divisionin the band division portion 11, map information indicating whether theabsolute amplitude values of all the transform coefficients in the samespace representation region in the same direction of division whichcorrespond to one arbitrary data in the signal are not more than apreviously determined set value R. The same space representation regionin the same direction of division means a region comprised of signals inthe same direction of band division in the band division portion 11,i.e., a region comprised of the LH3 signal, the LH2 signal and the LH1signal, or a region comprised of the HL3 signal, the HL2 signal and theHL1 signal, a region comprised of the HH3 signal, the HH2 signal and theHH1 signal. The signal replacement portion 53 refers to each of thevalues of the map information generated in the map informationgeneration portion 52, to replace, when the value is not more than thepreviously determined set value R, the transform coefficients with othernumerical values in accordance with the digital information to beembedded. The band synthesis portion 17 synthesizes band componentsignals in a plurality of frequency bands which have been subjected tothe embedding processing (i.e., the replacement of the transformcoefficients) in the signal replacement portion 53, to reconstruct animage signal 75.

Referring to FIGS. 20 to 22, description is made of a method ofembedding digital information carried out by the digital informationembedding apparatus 4 a.

FIG. 20 is a flow chart showing processing performed in the mapinformation generation portion 52. FIG. 20 shows as an example a casewhere map information relating to the HL3 signal which is high in itshorizontal component and is low in its vertical component is generated.FIG. 21 is a diagram for explaining the generation of the mapinformation. FIG. 22 is a flow chart showing processing performed in thesignal replacement portion 53.

Description is now made of processing performed in the map informationgeneration portion 52.

Referring to FIG. 20, the map information generation portion 52 selectsone transform coefficient in an arbitrary position of the HL3 signal onthe basis of an output of the band division portion 11 (step S2001).Transform coefficients in the same space representation region in thesame direction of division as the selected transform coefficient in theHL3 signal are extracted (step S2002). The transform coefficients in thesame space representation region in the same direction of division withrespect to the HL3 signal are a total of 21 transform coefficients,i.e., one transform coefficient in the HL3 signal, four transformcoefficients in the HL2 signal, and 16 transform coefficients in the HL1signal (portions painted in black in FIG. 21(a)). It is judged whetherthe absolute amplitude value of each of the 21 transform coefficients isnot more than a previously determined set value R (step 2003). The setvalue R can be arbitrarily determined depending on the length of thedigital formation to be embedded, for example. When it is judged at thestep S2003 that the absolute amplitude values of all the 21 transformcoefficients are not more than the set value R, information “1” is setin map positions corresponding to the positions of the transformcoefficients (step S2004). On the other hand, when it is not judged atthe step S2003 that the absolute amplitude values of all the 21transform coefficients are not more than the set value R, information“0” is set in the map positions corresponding to the positions of thetransform coefficients (step S2005).

Thereafter, it is judged whether map information has been generated forall the transform coefficients in the HL3 signal. When there exists thetransform coefficient for which no map information has been generated,the transform coefficient is selected, after which the program isreturned to the foregoing step S2002, to repeatedly perform the sameprocessing (steps S2006 and S2007).

The map information generation portion 52 performs the above-mentionedprocessing with respect to all the transform coefficient in the HL3signal and the transform coefficients in the HL2 signal and the HL1signal in the same space representation region in the same direction ofdivision as the transform coefficient in the HL3 signal, to generate mapinformation of a size corresponding to the transform coefficient in theHL3 signal (see FIG. 21(b)).

Description is now made of processing performed in the signalreplacement portion 53.

Referring to FIG. 22, the signal replacement portion 53 refers toinformation representing a position at the head of the map informationgenerated by the map information generation portion 52 (the position atthe head can be arbitrarily determined) (step S2201). A counter nrepresenting the position of a bit, in the digital information, to beembedded (n takes a value in a range from one to the final bit in thedigital information) is taken as one (step S2202). The digitalinformation shall be a bit stream obtained by binary-coding the name ofa copyright owner, the date for generation, and so fourth. It is judgedwhether the map information in a position referred to is “1” (stepS2203). When the map information is “1” in the judgment at the stepS2203, it is further judged whether the logical value of the n-th bit,in the digital information, to be embedded in the position is “1” (stepS2204). When the logical value of the n-th bit is “1” in the judgment atthe step S2204, all the 21 transform coefficients in the same spacerepresentation region in the same direction of division with respect tothe HL3 signal which correspond to the above-mentioned position referredto are replaced with a value+K (plus K) (step S2205). Contrary to this,when the logical value of the n-th bit is “0” in the judgment at thestep S2204, all the 21 transform coefficients in the same spacerepresentation region in the same direction of division with respect tothe HL3 signal which correspond to the above-mentioned position referredto are replaced with a value−K (minus K) (step S2206). It is preferablethat the absolute value of the value K is not more than the set value Rin order to minimize the degradation of the image after the replacementprocessing of the transform coefficients. After the replacementprocessing is terminated with respect to the n-th bit, one is added to nin order to proceed to the subsequent bit in the digital information(step S2207). On the other hand, when the map information is “0” in thejudgment at the step S2203, the replacement processing of the transformcoefficients is not performed.

Thereafter, it is judged whether all positions of the map informationhave been referred to. When there exists the position, which has notbeen referred to yet, of the map information, the position is referredto, after which the program is returned to the foregoing step S2203, torepeatedly perform the same processing (steps S2208 and S2209).

The signal replacement portion 53 performs the above-mentionedprocessing with respect to all the positions of the map information, andreplaces only the transform coefficients in the positions in which thedigital information is to be embedded out of the transform coefficientsin the HL3 signal, the HL2 signal and the HL1 signal with the value+K orthe value−K.

The number of bits composing the digital information to be embedded andthe number of positions where the map information is “1” do notnecessarily coincide with each other. Contrary to this, when the numberof bits composing the digital information is smaller than the number ofpositions where the map information is “1”, methods such as a method ofembedding all bits composing the digital information, and thencontinuously embedding the bits, starting with the first bit, and amethod of embedding a bit “0 (or 1)” in all the remaining positionswhere the map information is “1” are considered. When the number of bitscomposing the digital information is larger than the number of positionswhere the map information is “1”, methods such as a method of ensuringpositions, where the map information is “1”, corresponding to the numberof bits composing the digital information by increasing the set value Rand a method of continuously embedding bits which cannot be embedded inthe region comprised of the HL signals in the region comprised of the LHsignals are considered.

As described in the foregoing, the digital information embeddingapparatus 4 a according to the seventh embodiment embeds the digitalinformation in low frequency band signals over a plurality ofhierarchies. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the embeddeddigital information from being lost against an attack for unauthorizedutilization from a third person. Further, the transform coefficientswhose absolute amplitude values are not more than the set value R arereplaced with the values±K which are set to not more than the set valueR. Consequently, it is possible to reduce the effect on the degradationof the image at the time of extracting the embedded digital information,and it is difficult for the third person to detect the embedded digitalinformation.

The discrete wavelet transform performed in the digital informationembedding apparatus 4 a according to the seventh embodiment is notlimited to three hierarchies. It can be performed even many times untilthe LL signal reaches a 1×1 element.

A value set in the map information generation portion 52 may be set to“0” in a case where the absolute amplitude values of the 21 transformcoefficients in the same space representation region in the samedirection of division are not more than the set value R, while being setto “1” in the other case.

Furthermore, a value which is replaced with the transform coefficient inthe signal replacement portion 53 may be set to +K when the logicalvalue of a bit, in the digital information, to be embedded is “0”, whilebeing set to −K when the bit is “1”. The replacement of the transformcoefficient may be not replacement of the value+K and the value−K butreplacement of the value+K and the value 0.

(Eighth Embodiment)

FIG. 23 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation extracting apparatus according to an eighth embodiment ofthe present invention. The digital information extracting apparatus 4 baccording to the eighth embodiment is an apparatus for extracting thedigital information embedded by the above-mentioned digital informationembedding apparatus 4 a according to the seventh embodiment. In FIG. 7,the digital information extracting apparatus 4 b comprises a banddivision portion 11, a map information analysis portion 54, acoefficient calculation portion 55, and a digital information judgmentportion 56.

The band division portion 11 in the digital information extractingapparatus 4 b according to the eighth embodiment has the same structureas the band division portion 11 in the digital information embeddingapparatus 4 a according to the seventh embodiment, and is assigned thesame reference numeral and hence, the description thereof is notrepeated.

The band division portion 11 receives an image signal 84. The imagesignal 84 includes, in addition to the image signal 75 outputted by theband synthesis portion 17 in the digital information embedding apparatus4 a according to the seventh embodiment, the map information generatedby the map information generation portion 52 in the digital informationembedding apparatus 4 a, and the value K used for replacement in thesignal replacement portion 53 in the digital information embeddingapparatus 4 a. The band division portion 11 subjects the inputted imagesignal 84 to discrete wavelet transform, to divide the image signal 84into 10 frequency bands, i.e., an LL3 signal, LHi signals, HLi signalsand HHi signals, and calculate respective transform coefficients. Themap information analysis portion 54 extracts, on the basis of the mapinformation, 21 transform coefficients in the same space representationregion in the same direction of division which correspond to theposition where the map information is “1”. The coefficient calculationportion 55 calculates, using the transform coefficients included in oneor more frequency bands out of the transform coefficients extracted inthe map information analysis portion 54, a total value Y of thetransform coefficients on the basis of the value K. The digitalinformation judgment portion 56 judges the sign of the total value Ycalculated in the coefficient calculation portion 55, to extract theembedded digital information on the basis of the judgment.

Referring now to FIG. 24, description is made of a digital informationextracting method carried out by the digital information extractingapparatus 4 b. FIG. 24 is a flow chart showing processing performed inthe map information analysis portion 54, the coefficient calculationportion 55, and the digital information judgment portion 56. FIG. 24shows as an example a case where map information relating to the HL3signal which is high in its horizontal frequency component and is low inits vertical frequency component is analyzed, to extract digitalinformation.

Referring to FIG. 24, the map information analysis portion 54 refers toinformation in a position at the head of the map information generatedby the map information generation portion 52 (step S2401). It is judgedwhether the map information in a position referred to is “1” (stepS2402). When the map information is “1” in the judgment at the stepS2402, all the transform coefficients in the HL3 signal, the HL2 signaland the HL1 signal in the same space representation region in the samedirection of division which correspond to the map position are extracted(step S2403). The coefficient calculation portion 55 uses the transformcoefficients included in the one or more frequency bands out of the 21transform coefficients extracted at the step S2403, that is, one or moresignals out of the HL3 signal, the HL2 signal and the HL1 signal, tocalculate a total value Y of the transform coefficients (step S2404). Onthe other hand, when the map information is “0” in the judgment at thestep S2402, no processing is performed.

In calculating the total value Y, “one or two or more signals out of theHL3 signal, the HL2 signal and the HL1 signal” is defined in order tocope with a case where the sign of the transform coefficient is changeddue to any effect on high frequency bands, as described in theabove-mentioned problems to be solved. For example, the effect on highfrequency bands is most easily exerted on a shallow hierarchical signal,so that the total value Y may be calculated as follows using not the HL1signal but only the HL3 signal and the HL2 signal in order to increasethe reliability of the total value Y:

Y=(transform coefficient in HL3 signal)×4+(sum of four transformcoefficients in HL2 signal)

The transform coefficient in the HL3 signal is multiplexed by four inorder to obtain a total value Y in higher reliability by weighting adeep hierarchical signal on which the effect on high frequency bands isnot easily exerted. A method of calculating the total value Y is notlimited to the above-mentioned example. It can be suitably andarbitrarily determined by the state of the inputted image signal 72.

Referring to FIG. 24 again, the digital information judgment portion 56judges whether the sign of the total value Y calculated at the foregoingstep S2404 is positive or negative (step S2405). When the sign of thetotal value Y is positive in the judgment at the step S2405, it isjudged that the digital information embedded in positions of thetransform coefficients whose total value Y has been calculated takes avalue “1” (step S2406). On the other hand, when the sign of the totalvalue Y is negative in the judgment at the step S2405, it is judged thatthe digital information embedded in the positions takes a value “0”(step S2407).

Thereafter, it is judged whether all positions of the map informationhave been referred to. When there exists the position, which has notbeen referred to yet, of the map information, the position is referredto, after which the program is returned to the foregoing step S2402, torepeatedly perform the same processing (steps S2408 and S2409).Consequently, the digital information is extracted and reproduced.

As described in the foregoing, the digital information extractingapparatus 4 b according to the eighth embodiment judges the logicalvalue of the embedded digital information by the results of extractingtransform coefficients which have been embedded in a low frequency bandwhich is hardly affected by data destruction in high frequency bands,and calculating the total value Y of the transform coefficients using apreviously determined method. Consequently, accurate digital informationcan be extracted without being affected by an attack from anunauthorized user.

(Ninth Embodiment)

FIG. 25 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation embedding apparatus according to a ninth embodiment of thepresent invention. In FIG. 25, the digital information embeddingapparatus 5 a comprises a band division portion 11, a map informationgeneration portion 61, a signal transform portion 62, a signalreplacement portion 63, and a band synthesis portion 17.

The band division portion 11 and the band synthesis portion 17 in thedigital information embedding apparatus 5 a according to the ninthembodiment respectively have the same structures as the band dividingdevice 11 and the band synthesis portion 17 in the digital informationembedding apparatus 4 a according to the seventh embodiment, and areassigned the same reference numerals and hence, the description thereofis not repeated.

The band division portion 11 receives a digitized image signal 71, anddivides the image signal 71 into 10 frequency bands, i.e., an LL3signal, LHi signals, HLi signals and HHi signals by discrete wavelettransform, to calculate respective transform coefficients. The mapinformation generation portion 61 generates, with respect to a thirdhierarchical signal (excluding the LL3 signal) obtained by the divisionin the band division portion 11, map information indicating whether theabsolute amplitude values of the transform coefficients are between twoset values which are previously determined. The signal transform portion62 designates a transform value to be embedded in accordance withdigital information to be embedded and the sign of the transformcoefficient. The signal replacement portion 63 replaces the transformcoefficient with the transform value designated in the signal transformportion 62. The band synthesis portion 17 synthesizes the plurality offrequency bands which have been subjected to the embedding processing inthe signal replacement portion 63, to reconstruct an image signal 76.

Referring to FIGS. 26 to 28, description is made of a method ofembedding digital information carried out by the digital informationembedding apparatus 5 a.

FIG. 26 is a flow chart showing processing performed in the mapinformation generation portion 61. FIG. 26 shows as an example a casewhere map information relating to the HL3 signal which is high in itshorizontal frequency component and is low in its vertical frequencycomponent. FIG. 27 is a diagram showing the contents of transformationdesignated by the signal transform portion 62. FIG. 28 is a flow chartshowing processing performed in the signal replacement portion 63.

Description is now made of the processing performed in the mapinformation generation portion 61.

Referring to FIG. 26, the map information generation portion 61 selectsone transform coefficient in an arbitrary position of the HL3 signal onthe basis of an output of the band division portion 11 (step S2601). Itis judged whether the absolute amplitude value of the transformcoefficient is within the range of not less than a threshold value TLnor more than a threshold value TH (hereinafter referred to as athreshold range) (step S2602). The threshold values TL and TH can bearbitrarily determined depending on the length of digital information tobe embedded, for example. When the absolute amplitude value is withinthe threshold range in the judgment at the step S2602, information “1”is set in a threshold map position corresponding to the position of theHL3 signal (step S2603). On the other hand, when the absolute amplitudevalue is not within the threshold range in the judgment at the stepS2602, information “0” is set in the threshold map positioncorresponding to the position of the HL3 signal (step S2604).Thereafter, it is judged whether map information has been generated withrespect to all the transform coefficients in the HL3 signal. When thereexists the transform coefficient for which no map information has beengenerated, the transform coefficient is selected, after which theprogram is returned to the foregoing step S2602, to repeatedly performthe same processing (steps S2605 and S2606).

The map information generation portion 61 performs the above-mentionedprocessing with respect to all the transform coefficients in the HL3signal, to generate map information of a size corresponding to thetransform coefficients in the HL3 signal. The map information isbasically the same as the map information generated by the mapinformation generation portion 52 according to the seventh embodimentexcept for a threshold value (a set value) for judging a logical value.

Description is now made of processing performed in the signal transformportion 62.

The signal transform portion 62 issues an instruction to performtransformation based on a combination of the sign of a transformcoefficient and the logical value of a bit, in digital information, tobe embedded, as shown in FIG. 27. FIG. 27 depicts that in a case where atransform coefficient in a position referred to is positive, a transformvalue is +A (plus A) when the logical value of a bit, in digitalinformation, to be embedded in the position is “1”, while being +B (plusB) when the logical value is “0”, and depicts that in a case where atransform coefficient in a position referred to is negative, a transformvalue is −A (minus A) when the logical value of a bit, in digitalinformation, to be embedded in the position is “1”, while being −B(minus B) when the logical value is “0”. It is preferable that theabsolute values of the value A and the value B are set within theabove-mentioned threshold range (TL<A and B<TH) in order to minimize thedegradation of an image after the replacement of the transformcoefficient.

Processing performed in the signal replacement portion 63 will bedescribed.

Referring to FIG. 28, the signal replacement portion 63 refers toinformation representing a position at the head of the map informationgenerated by the map information generation portion 61 (step S2801). Acounter n representing the position of a bit, in the digitalinformation, to be embedded (n takes a value in a range from one to thefinal bit in the digital information) is taken as one (step S2802). Itis judged whether the map information in a position referred to is “1”(step S2803). When the map information is “1” in the judgment at thestep S2803, it is judged whether the sign of a transform coefficient inthe position referred to is positive or negative, and it is judgedwhether the logical value of the n-th bit, in the digital information,to be embedded in the position is “1” or “0” (step S2804). The transformcoefficient is replaced with transform value (either±A or±B) inaccordance with the results of the judgment at the step S2804 and theinstruction to perform transformation issued by the signal transformportion 62 (step S2805). After the replacement processing is terminatedwith respect to the n-th bit, one is added to n in order to proceed tothe subsequent bit in the digital information (step S2806). On the otherhand, when the map information is “0” in the judgment at the step S2803,the replacement processing of the transform coefficient is notperformed.

Thereafter, it is judged whether all positions of the map informationhave been referred to. When there exists the position which has not beenreferred to yet, of the map information, the position is referred to,after which the program is returned to the foregoing step S2803, torepeatedly perform the same processing (steps S2807 and S2808).

The signal replacement portion 63 performs the above-mentionedprocessing with respect to all the positions of the map information, andreplaces only the transform coefficient, in the position in which thedigital information is to be embedded, in the HL3 signal with either oneof the values±A and values±B.

After the above-mentioned processing is performed, the band synthesisportion 17 reconstructs the 10 frequency bands, i.e., the LL3 signal,the LHi signals, the HLi signals and the HHi signals as an image signal76 which has been subjected to the embedding processing, as describedabove, to output the image signal 76.

As described in the foregoing, the digital information embeddingapparatus 5 a according to the ninth embodiment embeds the digitalinformation only in the transform coefficients in a deep hierarchicalsignal which is not easily affected. Consequently, it is possible tomore satisfactorily prevent the embedded digital information from beinglost against an attack for unauthorized utilization from in a thirdperson, as compared with the digital information embedding apparatus 4 aaccording to the seventh embodiment. Further, the transform coefficientwhose absolute amplitude value is within the range of not more than thethreshold value TL nor more than the threshold value TH is transformedinto a value within the threshold range considering the sign of thetransform coefficient, so that it is possible to reduce the effect onthe degradation of the image at the time of extracting the embeddeddigital information, and it is difficult for the third person to detectthe embedded digital information.

(Tenth Embodiment)

FIG. 29 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation extracting apparatus according to a tenth embodiment of thepresent invention. The digital information extracting apparatus 5 baccording to the tenth embodiment is an apparatus for extracting thedigital information embedded by the above-mentioned digital informationembedding apparatus 5 a according to the ninth embodiment. In FIG. 29,the digital information extracting apparatus 5 b comprises a banddivision portion 11, a map information analysis portion 64, an errorcalculation portion 65, and a digital information judgment portion 66.

The band division portion 11 in the digital information extractingapparatus 5 b according to the tenth embodiment has the same structureas the band division portion 11 in the digital information embeddingapparatus 4 a according to the seventh embodiment, and is assigned thesame reference numeral and hence, the description thereof is notrepeated.

The band division portion 11 receives an image signal 85. The imagesignal 85 includes, in addition to the image signal 76 outputted by theband synthesis portion 17 in the digital information embedding apparatus5 a according to the ninth embodiment, the map information generated bythe map information generation portion 61 in the digital informationembedding apparatus 5 a, and the transform values A and B designated inthe signal transform portion 62 in the digital information embeddingapparatus 5 a. The band division portion 11 subjects the inputted imagesignal 85 to discrete wavelet transform, to divide the image signal 85into 10 frequency bands, i.e., an LL3 signal, LHi signals, HLi signalsand HHi signals, and calculate respective transform coefficients. Themap information analysis portion 64 extracts, on the basis of the mapinformation, a transform coefficient corresponding to the position wherethe value of the map information is “1”. The error calculation portion65 calculates errors between an absolute amplitude value C of thetransform coefficient extracted in the map information analysis portion64 and the transform values A and B. The digital information judgmentportion 66 judges whether the logical value of a bit, in digitalinformation, embedded in the transform coefficient is “1” or “0” fromthe errors calculated in the error calculation portion 65, to extractthe digital information.

Referring now to FIG. 30, description is made of a digital informationextracting method carried out by the digital information extractingapparatus 5 b. FIG. 30 is a flow chart showing processing performed inthe map information analysis portion 64, the error calculation portion65, and the digital information judgment portion 66. FIG. 30 shows as anexample a case where map information relating to the HL3 signal which ishigh in its horizontal frequency component and is low in its verticalfrequency component is analyzed, to extract digital information.

Referring to FIG. 30, the map information analysis portion 64 refers toinformation in a position at the head of the map information generatedby the map information generation portion 61 (step S3001). It is judgedwhether the map information in a position referred to is “1” (stepS3002). When the map information is “1” in the judgment at the stepS3002, a transform coefficient, which corresponds to the map position,in the HL3 signal is extracted (step S3003). The error calculationportion 65 calculates the following absolute errors D1 and D2 from theabsolute amplitude value C of the transfer coefficient extracted at thestep S3003 and the transform values A and B designated in the signaltransform portion 62 (step S3004):

D1=|C−A|, and D2=|C−B|

The digital information judgment portion 66 compares the values of theabsolute errors D1 and D2 calculated in the error calculation portion 65(step S3005). In the comparison at the step S3005, when the value of D1is smaller than the value of D2, it is judged that the digitalinformation embedded in a position of the extracted transformcoefficient is “1” (step S3006). Contrary to this, in the comparison atthe step S3005, when the value of D2 is smaller than the value of D1, itis judged that the digital information embedded in the position is “0”(step S3007). On the other hand, when the map information is “0” in thejudgment at the step S3002, no processing is performed

Thereafter, it is judged whether all positions of the map informationhave been referred to. When there exists the position, which has notbeen referred to yet, of the map information, the position is referredto, after which the program is returned to the foregoing step S3002, torepeatedly perform the same processing (steps S3008 and S3009).Consequently, the digital information is extracted and reproduced.

As described in the foregoing, the digital information extractingapparatus 5 b according to the tenth embodiment judges the logical valueof the embedded digital information by the results of extracting atransform coefficient which has been embedded in a deep hierarchicalsignal which is not affected by data destruction in high frequencybands, calculating the absolute errors D1 and D2 of the transformcoefficient using a previously determined method, and comparing theabsolute errors with each other. Consequently, accurate digitalinformation can be extracted without being affected by an attack from anunauthorized user.

(Eleventh Embodiment)

FIG. 31 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation embedding apparatus 6 a according to an eleventh embodimentof the present invention. In FIG. 31, the digital information embeddingapparatus 6 a comprises an orthogonal transform portion 31, a mapinformation generation portion 61, a signal transform portion 62, asignal replacement portion 63, and an inverse orthogonal transformportion 36.

As shown in FIG. 31, the digital information embedding apparatus 6 aaccording to the eleventh embodiment is so constructed that the banddivision portion 11 and the band synthesis portion 17 in the digitalinformation embedding apparatus 5 a according to the ninth embodimentare respectively replaced with the orthogonal transform portion 31 andthe inverse orthogonal transform portion 36. The orthogonal transformportion 31 and the inverse orthogonal transform portion 36 respectivelyhave the same structures as the orthogonal transform portion 31 and theinverse orthogonal transform portion 36 in the digital informationembedding apparatus 2 a according to the third embodiment, and areassigned the same reference numerals and hence, the description thereofis not repeated.

The orthogonal transform portion 31 receives an image signal 71, anddivides the image signal 71 into a plurality of blocks in accordancewith a previously determined block size, and then subjects the signal ineach of the blocks to orthogonal transform, to respectively calculatetransform coefficients in the block. The map information generationportion 61 generates the above-mentioned map information usingrespective transform coefficients having components other than DCcomponents out of transform coefficients calculated in the orthogonaltransform portion 31. It is desirable that the transform coefficientsused herein are respective transform coefficients having lower frequencycomponents in order to withstand an attack from a third person. Theinverse orthogonal transform portion 36 subjects the transformcoefficients after embedding processing to inverse orthogonal transform,and reconstructs an image signal 77, to output the image signal 77. Asdescribed in the foregoing, the digital information embedding apparatus5 b according to the eleventh embodiment can also perform theabove-mentioned digital information embedding processing described inthe ninth embodiment with respect to the input of the image signal 71which has been subjected to discrete cosine transform, Fourier transformor Hadamard transform.

(Twelfth Embodiment)

FIG. 32 is a block diagram showing the construction of a digitalinformation extracting apparatus 6 b according to a twelfth embodimentof the present invention. The digital information extracting apparatus 6b according to the twelfth embodiment is an apparatus for extracting thedigital information embedded by the above-mentioned digital informationembedding apparatus 6 a according to the eleventh embodiment. In FIG.32, the digital information extracting apparatus 6 b comprises anorthogonal transform portion 31, a map information analysis portion 64,an error calculation portion 65, and a digital information judgmentportion 66.

As shown in FIG. 32, the digital information extracting apparatus 6 baccording to the twelfth embodiment is so constructed that the banddivision portion 11 in the digital information extracting apparatus 5 baccording to the tenth embodiment is replaced with the orthogonaltransform portion 31 in the digital information embedding apparatus 6 aaccording to the eleventh embodiment.

The orthogonal transform portion 31 receives an image signal 86. Theimage signal 86 includes, in addition to the image signal 77 outputtedby the inverse orthogonal transform portion 36 in the digitalinformation embedding apparatus 6 a according to the eleventhembodiment, the map information generated by the map informationgeneration portion 61 in the digital information embedding apparatus 6a, and the transform values A and B designated in the signal transformportion 62 in the digital information embedding apparatus 6 a. Theorthogonal transform portion 31 divides the inputted image signal 86into a plurality of blocks in accordance with a previously determinedblock size, and then subjects the signal in each of the blocks toorthogonal transform, to respectively calculate transform coefficientsin the block. The map information analysis portion 64 extracts, on thebasis of the map information, a transform coefficient corresponding to aposition where the value of the map information is “1”. The errorcalculation portion 65 calculates errors between an absolute amplitudevalue C of the transform coefficient extracted in the map informationanalysis portion 64 and the transform values A and B. The digitalinformation judgment portion 66 judges whether the logical value of abit, in the digital information, embedded in the transform coefficientis “1” or “0” from the errors calculated in the error calculationportion 65, to extract the digital information.

By the above-mentioned construction, the digital information extractingapparatus 6 b according to the twelfth embodiment can accurately extractthe embedded digital information, as described in the tenth embodiment,even when the image signal 77 which has been subjected to discretecosine transform, Fourier transform or Hadamard transform is subjectedto the above-mentioned digital information embedding processingdescribed in the ninth embodiment.

Typically, each of functions realized by the digital informationembedding apparatuses and extracting apparatuses according to the firstto twelfth embodiments is realized by a storage device (a ROM, a RAM, ahard disk, etc.) storing predetermined program data and a CPU (CentralProcessing Unit) for executing the program data. In this case, each ofthe program data may be introduced through a recording medium such as aCD-ROM or a floppy disk.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated indetail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustrationand example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spiritand scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A digital information embedding apparatus forembedding inherent digital information in a digital image signal,comprising: orthogonal transform means for dividing said digital imagesignal into a plurality of blocks each composed of a plurality of pixelspreviously determined, and subjecting, for each of the blocks, the blockto orthogonal transform, to calculate transform coefficients; blockselection means for further classifying said plurality of blocks,obtained by the dividing, into groups each comprising one or two or moreblocks in accordance with a previously determined number of blocks;quantization means for extracting, for each of the blocks belonging toeach of said groups, the transform coefficient having the lowestfrequency component (hereinafter referred to as a DC component) out ofthe transform coefficients in the block and calculating a mean value Mof the respective DC components in the blocks, and subjecting the meanvalue M to linear quantization using a previously determinedquantization step-size Q (Q is an integer of not less than one), tocalculate a quantization value; signal replacement means for replacingfor each of said groups, on the basis of said quantization value andsaid digital information to be embedded which correspond to the group,the quantization value; mean difference addition means for subjectingfor each of said groups said replaced quantization value to inverselinear quantization using said quantization step-size Q to calculate amean value M′, and adding a difference DM (=M′−M) between the mean valueM′ and said mean value M to all the DC components in the blocksbelonging to the group; inverse orthogonal transform means forsubjecting the plurality of blocks after the addition of said differenceDM to inverse orthogonal transform, to reconstruct a digital imagesignal in which said digital information has been embedded; and meancalculation means for calculating a mean value LM of the amplitudevalues of the pixels in said reconstructed digital image signal.
 2. Thedigital information embedding apparatus according to claim 1, whereinsaid signal replacement means replaces said quantization value with anodd value closest to the value of M/Q when each of bits composing saiddigital information takes a logical value 1, while replacing thequantization value with an even value closest to the value of M/Q whensaid bit takes a logical value
 0. 3. A digital information embeddingmethod of embedding inherent digital information in a digital imagesignal, comprising the steps of: dividing said digital image signal intoa plurality of blocks each composed of a plurality of pixels previouslydetermined, and subjecting for each of the blocks, the block toorthogonal transform, to calculate transform coefficients; furtherclassifying said plurality of blocks, obtained by the dividing, intogroups each comprising one or two or more blocks in accordance with apreviously determined number of blocks; extracting, for each of blocksbelonging to each of said groups, the transform coefficient having thelowest frequency component (hereinafter referred to as a DC component)out of the transform coefficients in the block and calculating a meanvalue M of the respective DC components in the blocks, and subjectingthe mean value M to linear quantization using a previously determinedquantization step-size Q (Q is an integer of not less than one), tocalculate a quantization value; replacing for each of said groups, onthe basis of said quantization value and said digital information to beembedded which correspond to the group, the quantization value;subjecting for each of said groups said replaced quantization value toinverse linear quantization using said quantization step-size Q tocalculate a mean value M′, and adding a difference DM (=M′−M) betweenthe mean value M and said mean value M to all the respective DCcomponents in the blocks belonging to the group; subjecting theplurality of blocks after the addition of said difference DM to inverseorthogonal transform, to reconstruct a digital image signal in whichsaid digital information has been embedded; and calculating a mean valueLM of the amplitude values of the pixels in said reconstructed digitalimage signal.
 4. The digital information embedding method according toclaim 3, wherein said step of replacing the quantization value replacessaid quantization value with an odd value closest to the value of M/Qwhen each of bits composing said digital information takes a logicalvalue 1, while replacing said quantization value with an even valueclosest to the value of M/Q when said bit takes a logical value
 0. 5. Arecording medium having a program executed in a computer recordedthereon, the program realizing on said computer an operationalenvironment comprising the steps of: dividing a digital image signalinto a plurality of blocks each composed of a plurality of pixelspreviously determined, and subjecting, for each of the blocks, the blockto orthogonal transform, to calculate transform coefficients; furtherclassifying said plurality of blocks, obtained by the dividing, intogroups each comprising one or two or more blocks in accordance with apreviously determined number of blocks; extracting, for each of theblocks belonging to each of said groups, the transform coefficienthaving the lowest frequency component (hereinafter referred to as a DCcomponent) out of the transform coefficients in the block andcalculating a mean value M of the respective DC components in theblocks, and subjecting the mean value M to linear quantization using apreviously determined quantization step-size Q (Q is an integer of notless than one), to calculate a quantization value; replacing for each ofsaid groups, on the basis of said quantization value and said digitalinformation to be embedded which correspond to the group, thequantization value; subjecting for each of said groups said replacedquantization value to inverse linear quantization using saidquantization step-size Q to calculate a mean value M′, and adding adifference DM (=M′−M) between the mean value M′ and said mean value M toall the DC components in the blocks belonging to the group; subjectingthe plurality of blocks after the addition of said difference DM toinverse orthogonal transform, to reconstruct a digital image signal inwhich said digital information has been embedded; and calculating a meanvalue LM of the amplitude values of the pixels in said reconstructeddigital image signal.
 6. The recording medium according to claim 5,wherein said step of replacing the quantization value replaces saidquantization value with an odd value closest to the value of M/Q wheneach of bits composing said digital information takes a logical value 1,while replacing the quantization value with an even value closest to thevalue of M/Q when said bit takes a logical value 0.